Thousands of tickets for 2018 sold on first day

Even before the current VELUX EHF FINAL4 came to an end on Sunday, thousands of fans could already boast possession of tickets for next year’s edition of the European club handball climax.

Hundreds of ticket holders for this FINAL4 gathered at the LANXESS arena before the first semi-final on Saturday morning and patiently waited for hours in the long queue in front of the ticket counter to claim their place at the event in a 12 months’ time.

Before the on-site sale was closed, thousands of tickets were sold, but all fans not lucky enough to be at the 2017 event will get their chance to buy their tickets from Monday 5 June, when the online ticket sale will start on www.ehfFINAL4.com

The 1st fans make their way into the @LANXESS Arena for #EHFFINAL4. Let the games begin! @ehfcl pic.twitter.com/e1ldKEO4gn

— EHF Live (@EHF_Live) June 3, 2017

"I have never seen such a huge and impressive event before,” said Macedonian fan Horica, wearing Kiril Lazarov’s FC Barcelona Lassa jersey.

“I bought this year's tickets online to hopefully see my idol Kiril Lazarov and now we can watch a Macedonian team in the final – I did not expect that.

“It is my first time here, but we decided last night during the fireworks that this will not be our last visit to the FINAL4 so we are standing here and waiting.”

Close by, Lárizza from Veszprém was standing and was happy to leave the ticket counter with four tickets (the maximum per person).

“This is our annual family event fixed in the calendar with all my brothers and sisters,” she said. “We will be back next year.”

“Next year, will be my ninth time – I have not missed a single VELUX EHF FINAL4 at all,” said Lukas from Hamburg who is supporting Telekom Veszprém this year.

At the other end of the queue, Patrick from Melsungen waited. He was in Cologne for the sixth time wearing a PSG jersey of Mikkel Hansen. “I’m a huge fan of Mikkel Hansen, what an awesome handballer,” he said. “Naturally, I keep my fingers crossed for Paris Saint-Germain. The only thing that could change that is if MT Melsungen reach the FINAL4 - maybe in 2020.”