EHF Handball Champions League Gala
celebrate the passion

This year marks the 15 year anniversary of the European Handball Federation (EHF).On 29 June 2007, the EHF, together with its sister company EHF Marketing GmbH, will embark on the 15th season of the EHF Handball Champions League. The occasion will be celebrated in the form of an EHF Champions League Gala, with both the Men’s and Women’s Champions League Group Draws forming the focus of the evening’s programme of events.

The tone of the event has already been set under the motto “Celebrate the Passion”. Top European clubs, players, representatives from the field of refereeing and delegates, and members of handball’s media circles will converge on Vienna – home of the EHF – for the exclusive event. The perfect setting has been found to host this unique event, in the form of the Vienna Uniqa Tower in the centre of Vienna – a modern, future orientated and dynamic location which mirrors the EHF Handball Champions League founding principles.

Tor Lian, EHF President, confirms this, “The success of European handball finds its roots at club level, which is one of the many reasons why we have chosen to mark the 15th Anniversary of the EHF and the start of the 15th Champions League season with the top clubs and our partners in Europe. This underlines the commitment of the EHF to the European club competitions and their development. We initiated the celebrations in November with a Youth Handball Convention, now we will focus on the pinnacle of European handball, bringing the protagonists of the sport together to celebrate the passion of handball in general and the EHF Champions League in particular.”

 The EHF Champions League has changed significantly since its introduction to the market back in the season of 1993/94. It is now played with two group phases; 32 teams enter the preliminary group phase in the men’s competition and 16 in the women’s event. Most recent developments include the launch of a brand new event identity; with the clean and attractive branding to the Handball Champions League product, it has been spoken of as being a breakthrough for European club handball.

As EHF Secretary General and EHF Marketing GmbH Managing Director Michael Wiederer underlines, “The 2006/07 has seen the EHF Champions League enter a new dimension, with a clean and fresh event identity. The ball is rolling and we will do everything to ensure that it continues to do so. This will be the first time that the EHF will draw both the men’s and women’s group matches on the same occasion. The event on 29 June marks the gateway to the 15th season and key representatives from a wide variety of fields in European club handball will converge on Vienna to celebrate the occasion!”

Invitations are currently being sent out around Europe and more information will be given continuously through the remainder of the current season.

Basic facts:
EHF Handball Champions League Gala
incl: EHF Men's and Women's Champions League Draws
Friday 29 June 2007
Uniqa Tower, Vienna, Austria
Begin 19:00

Contact:
For all media enquiries:
Siân Rowland
EHF Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +43-1-801-51 161
rowland@eurohandball.com