32 teams begin their journeys in the group phase, which includes six rounds from 29 September to 2 December 2026. The first and second-placed participants in each group will secure their spots for the play-offs — where they will be joined by the third- and fourth-placed teams from the EHF Champions League group phase.
A total of 28 teams will contest the play-offs in two-leg home-and-away games, with the first leg to take place on 9 and 16 February 2027 and the second leg to be played on 23 February and 2 March 2027.
The winners of each play-offs pair, together with the fifth-placed clubs of the EHF Champions League main round, advance to the Last 16, which includes the first leg on 23 March and the return leg on 30 March 2027.
Eight teams will advance to the quarter-finals on 20–21 and 27–28 April 2027, with the tournament reaching its climax on 22–23 May 2027, when the four remaining teams will play the EHF Finals to compete for the trophy.
Like in previous season when RK Alkaloid Skopje won the title in EHF Cup, also HC Ohrid didn’t get promotion to the higher stage of the competition as title winner.
Draw will be held on Friday 17 July at 11:00 CEST.
EHF European League Men 2026/27 group phase teams
- SG Flensburg-Handewitt
- RK Nexe
- MOL Tatabánya KC
- IK Sävehof
- RK Izvidac
- HC Eurofarm Pelister
- Sport Lisboa e Benfica
- IRUDEK Bidasoa Irun
- Valur
- Kadetten Schaffhausen
- Elverum Håndball
- Limoges Handball
- HCB Karviná
- Fraikin BM Granollers
- Tatran Prešov
- VfL Gummersbach
- RK Sesvete Triglav Osiguranje
- FH Hafnarfjordur
- ACS HC Buzau
- Saint Raphaël Var Handball
- RD LL Grosist Slovan
- Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Handball
- Bathco BM Torrelavega
- Dicorpebal Logroño La Rioja
- CSM Bucuresti
- Marítimo de Madeira SAD
- Aguas Santas Milaneza
- Mors-Thy Håndbold
- Bergischer HC
- TTH Holstebro
- PGE Wybrzeze Gdansk
- Hammarby Handboll
