Celje Can Be Satisfied, Prestigious Derbies with Zagreb Will Be Revived

The draw for the 2026/27 Champions League season has set the stage for Slovenian handball clubs RK Celje Pivovarna Laško and ŽRK Krka OTP Group Mercator, revealing their opponents in Europe's premier club competitions.

RK Celje Pivovarna Laško, the reigning Slovenian national and cup champions, has been placed in Group C of the men's Champions League. Their path will see them face formidable opponents including Denmark's Aalborg, France's Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and Croatia's Zagreb. This marks Slovenia's return to the top-tier club competition after the 2023/24 season, with the tournament expanding to 24 teams starting September 9.

Meanwhile, ŽRK Krka OTP Group Mercator will embark on their 32nd consecutive appearance in the women's Champions League, which commences on September 5. The Ljubljana-based team is drawn into Group A, where they will face stiff competition from Denmark's Esbjerg, Romania's Bucharest, Hungary's Ferencvaros, France's Brest, Germany's Borussia Dortmund, Norway's Sola, and Montenegro's Budućnost Podgorica.

The competition format for the women's league remains unchanged, with eight teams in each of the two groups (A and B). The top two teams from each group will advance directly to the quarterfinals, while teams finishing third through sixth will compete in playoff matches for a spot in the quarterfinals. The final four teams will then proceed to the final tournament, scheduled for June in Budapest.