Champions Györ face RK Krim Mercator when Women’s EHF Champions League throws off

In 74 days the Women’s EHF Champions League Group Matches of the 2018/19 throw off and fans can start preparing for some great clashes already in the early stages of the competition.

The playing schedule, which has been released by the European Handball Federation, sees CSM Bucuresti, the 2016 winners and three-time participants of the Women’s EHF FINAL4, facing FTC Rail-Cargo Hungaria on the first matchday in group D, scheduled for 5 to 7 October 2018.

Hungarian side FTC have reached the quarter-finals in all of the past three seasons, and this clash is arguably the biggest of all at the competition’s start. In the second match, Vipers Kristiansand from Norway face the winners of qualification tournament no.1 (played on 8/9 September).

However, defending champions Györi Audi ETO KC must not take things too easy in group C either, as they face RK Krim Mercator at the beginning of October. The Slovenian team has been a regular in the main round in the past decade and even won the EHF Champions League in 2001 and 2003.

Last season, Györ dominated both main round encounters between the two teams, winning 32:21 and 34:25.

German champions Thüringer HC and the winning team of qualification tournament no.2 are the two remaining teams in group C.

In group B, last season’s Women’s EHF FINAL4 participants Rostov-Don play their first match against IK Sävehof, while Danish team Kobenhavn Handball face Brest Bretagne Handball.

In group A, the 2015 champions, Montenegrin side Buducnost, open their EHF Champions League season against debutants Odense HC, the second Danish side in the competition. Metz Handball and Larvik HK complete this very balanced group.

View the entire playing schedule