FAQ
The Füchse Berlin will meet defending champions SC Magdeburg in the first semi-final of the Final Four in the Handball Champions League. It is the new edition of the 2025 final. Everything you need to know about the final weekend.
Four teams will fight for the title in the Handball Champions League at the final weekend on June 13th and 14th. Including the two Bundesliga clubs and last year’s finalists Füchse Berlin and SC Magdeburg. They meet in the first semi-final. In the second semi-final, German national player Juri Knorr and his Danish club Aalborg Handbold will fight against record winners FC Barcelona.
Where is the Final Four taking place?
Since 2010, the final round for the Champions League title has taken place in the Kölnarena, which is considered the “cathedral of handball”. There is usually room for 19,750 spectators at handball events. Last year, by creating new contingents, the event was able to accommodate 20,074 visitors on both tournament days and thus set a new record in the handball premier class. According to the organizer’s website, only a few VIP tickets are still available for the Final Four weekend.
What are the starting times?
| encounter | throw |
|---|---|
Game for 3rd place | 3:00 p.m |
final | 6:00 p.m |
Who are the favorites for the title?
In the semi-final between Füchse Berlin and SC Magdeburg it is hard to identify a favorite, you can expect a duel at eye level. The two teams met at the final last year – with a happier ending for the Red-Greens from Magdeburg. This season, the two teams shared the Bundesliga titles: the SCM celebrated the German championship, the Füchse won the DHB Cup.
Record winners FC Barcelona are favorites in the second semi-final. No team has taken part in the final weekend in Cologne more often. Barca took part in 13 of the 17 editions, and 2026 will be the eighth time in a row that the Catalans will travel to the Final Four in Cologne. This is the third participation for opponents Aalborg. The team from Denmark recently won the Danish championship and the Danish cup. On paper, the team around playmaker Juri Knorr is slightly inferior to the top Spanish club – but the Final Four in Cologne is known to be a good place for supposed underdogs.
Who are they? Key players at the Final Four?
As usual, the focus at Füchse Berlin is on world handball player Mathias Gidsel. The 27-year-old Dane is currently considered the undisputed best player in the world. The backcourt player has already scored 144 goals this Champions League season and is now at the top of the goalscorers list. Playmaker Gisli Kristjansson will be particularly important at SC Magdeburg. The Icelander led his team to victory in the premier class in 2022/23 and 2024/25 and was voted MVP of the Final Four both times.
Mathias Gidsel throws the ball at the goal.
The FC Barcelona squad is full of superstars. Above all, the French backcourt right Dika Mem, who has already lifted the coveted trophy four times, and the Danish goalkeeper Emil Nielsen, who is currently one of the best and most decisive goalkeepers. One of them is his compatriot Niklas Landin, who is guarding the goal for Aalborg on the other side. He will play an important role together with Thomas Arnoldsen and the German international Juri Knorr.
Where can you watch the Final Four?
All games in the Final Four will be broadcast by the two sports streaming providers dyn and DAZN. The first semi-final between the two German clubs SC Magdeburg and Füchse Berlin as well as the final on Sunday can also be followed in the Sportschau audio live stream and in the live ticker. Further information and interviews about the handball premier class can be found on sportschau.de and in the Sportschau app.