THW Kiel’s Decline Continues: Worst Season Since 1996/97
How long will the downward trajectory of the famous German club last? That is the question handball fans across Europe are increasingly asking about one of the biggest brands in world handball.
For the third season in a row, the “Zebras” are far from the Bundesliga title race, and they will also miss out on qualification for the EHF Champions League. Two fourth-place finishes in the last two years have now been followed by fifth place in the ongoing 2025/2026 season under Filip Jícha.
It is a disappointing outcome for the biggest name in German handball, the second most successful club in the history of European club competitions behind Barcelona, and the team with the largest number of season-ticket holders in world handball. Kiel’s last chance to reach the EHF Champions League came through winning the EHF European League, but that trophy went to Melsungen.
No trophy, and also a statistical marker: this is Kiel’s worst Bundesliga season since 1996/1997. After 32 rounds, the “Zebras” have collected 42 points, a 65.6% return, which is their weakest record since the 1996/1997 season, when they earned 38 points from 30 matches. The worst season in the club’s modern history remains 1992/1993, when the Baltic club collected only 36 points from 34 games under Uwe Schwenker, who would later become the club’s famous managing director.
At the same time, discussions about Filip Jícha’s position as head coach are becoming louder. The playing legend has been on the bench since 2019. In his first season, he won both the Bundesliga title and the EHF Champions League, but after seven years, relatively little has been added to the club’s trophy cabinet.
Responsibility also lies with the club’s transfer policy, which has been modest and often misguided, with signings that have not matched the level of a club that once regularly attracted the very top tier of world handball.
Judging by what is being announced for the future of the playing squad, it looks as though Kiel may have to wait some time before returning to the top. Where is the bottom of this decline — and who will take responsibility?
