The crowning of MT Melsungen as the new EHF European League Men champions highlighted the tantalising Winamax EHF Finals 2026 last weekend. Their trophy was the first ever — internationally or domestically — in the German club’s history.
More than 12,000 spectators at Barclays Arena in Hamburg saw on Sunday how Melsungen beat THW Kiel 24:23 (13:12) in an all-German final that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer.
Earlier Sunday, dethroned champions SG Flensburg-Handewitt placed third by beating the only non-German participants, Montpellier Handball 32:30 (16:16). Claiming the positions one, two and three underlined the ongoing dominance of German teams in men’s continental club handball.
Hamburg, an ever-growing success story
The Winamax EHF Finals were staged in Hamburg for the third consecutive year — and the success of the season-ending tournament of the EHF European League has been ever increasing.
The ticket sales exceeded those of the previous editions and fans committed to the event earlier, demonstrating growing demand even before the participating teams had been confirmed following the quarter-finals early May.
The 2026 edition has further strengthened Hamburg’s position on the European handball calendar, while the strong cooperation between EHF Marketing, Barclays Arena and Active City Hamburg continued to drive the development of the event.
Event experience beyond the matches
The event experience for the many fans in the arena went way beyond the thrill of four high-class handball matches. EHF Marketing and entertainment partner Hallgrimson Entertainment Group (the HEG) once again delivered a comprehensive entertainment programme, which included four different, but equally exciting opening shows across the weekend. Lightning LED wristbands turned spectators into active participants of those shows.
The Popstar Booth became one of the fan favourites, allowing supporters to record performances that were then integrated into the final day opening show. Fan zones, merchandise offers, and other interactive activations further complemented the on-court programme.
The world has been watching
Images of the Winamax EHF Finals 2026 were globally distributed by almost 30 broadcasters across more than 50 territories, with additional coverage available through EHF’s own OTT platform, EHFTV. The event generated high international visibility for clubs, partners and the EHF European League brand.
The successful third edition of EHF Finals in Hamburg is part of EHF Marketing's broader final-event portfolio, preceding the Raiffeisen Bank EHF FINAL4 in Budapest on 6/7 June and the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 in Cologne on 13/14 June 2026. The Winamax EHF Finals 2026 has marked EHF Marketing’s ongoing strategy of combining elite sport with entertainment, fan engagement and international media exposure.
“Create the best possible stage for European club handball”
David Szlezak, Managing Director of EHF Marketing, says: “Every final event has its own character, but our ambition behind it remains the same: to create the best possible stage for European club handball. What happens on the court can never be scripted, but extraordinary moments are also born from the quality and intensity of the competition, and those are ultimately the moments that fans remember most.
"As we close another memorable chapter in Hamburg, our attention now turns to the final events of the EHF Champions League in Budapest and Cologne, where we will continue our efforts to create the perfect blend of top-class sport, entertainment, and fan culture.”
