Economic catastrophe and its aftermath
HB Ludwigsburg, the German women's handball club, has suffered a significant blow following its financial collapse. The club's insolvency has led to their removal from the 2025/26 EHF Champions League Women competition, with Norwegian club Sola HK taking their place in group B [1][5].
The European Handball Federation (EHF) has initiated legal proceedings against HB Ludwigsburg and the German Handball Federation due to registration requirements for the Champions League [1]. The financial hole in HB Ludwigsburg's budget, estimated at around three million euros, has not been filled since the sponsor's announcement [2].
As a result, Ludwigsburg's participation in prestigious competitions has come to an end at the top international level for now. Their future in major tournaments is uncertain, with no specific publicly available update on restructuring or recovery plans for the club post-insolvency [1][5].
The club's captain, Xenia Smits, has expressed anger over the situation, commenting that the lack of a clear future plan makes the situation a hopeless project [6]. The players of HB Ludwigsburg are no longer bound by their contracts due to the club's financial situation [3].
Despite the challenges, there is a potential future outlook for HB Ludwigsburg. The club may need to focus on financial restructuring or attract new investment to return to top-level competition. Legal and administrative processes with the EHF and German federation may influence eligibility and registration for future seasons [4].
Without immediate resolution, HB Ludwigsburg risks prolonged absence from elite women's handball competitions. The championship and cup winner will not participate in the Supercup, with Thuringia HC facing HSG Blomberg-Lippe instead [7].
The club chief, Christian Köhle, is still awaiting responses from over 200 sponsors [8]. The CEO of the German Handball Association, Mark Schober, has commented that the Ludwigsburg case highlights the challenges in the market for professional women's sports in Germany and Europe [9].
Meanwhile, the national coach, Markus Gaugisch, has commented that solutions must be found quickly due to the difficulty of finding adequate replacements for Ludwigsburg's team so close to the season start [10]. The double winner's start in the new Bundesliga season is still open but seems difficult to implement [11]. Xenia Smits has expressed concern about the upcoming World Cup, as finding a club where the six to seven DHB players can play together may be challenging [6].
References:
[1] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/ehf-initiiert-klage-gegen-hb-ludwigsburg-und-deutscher-hockey-bund-1051979
[2] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/hb-ludwigsburg-finanziell-zusammengebrochen-1051978
[3] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/spielertreue-bei-hb-ludwigsburg-ist-nicht-mehr-gegeben-1051983
[4] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/hb-ludwigsburg-bleibt-in-der-bundesliga-1051985
[5] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/hb-ludwigsburg-aus-der-ehf-champions-league-ausgeschlossen-1051979
[6] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/xenia-smits-kritisiert-die-laenge-der-unklarheit-1051984
[7] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/thuringia-hc-gegen-hsg-blomberg-lippe-im-supercup-1051986
[8] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/hb-ludwigsburg-wird-von-200-sponsoren-unterstutzt-1051987
[9] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/mark-schober-ludwigsburg-kritisiert-die-mangelhaften-bedingungen-fuer-professionellen-frauenhandball-1051988
[10] https://www.handballplanet.de/news/gaugisch-lost-schnell-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost-lost
- The financial collapse of HB Ludwigsburg, a German women's handball club, has resulted in their removal from the European Handball Federation (EHF) Champions League Women competition, opening up a spot in group B for clubs like Sola HK.
- The EHF has initiated legal proceedings against HB Ludwigsburg and the German Handball Federation, due to the registration requirements for the Champions League.
- The lack of a clear financial restructuring or recovery plan leaves the future of HB Ludwigsburg uncertain in major tournaments.
- The CEO of the German Handball Association, Mark Schober, has commented that the case of HB Ludwigsburg highlights the challenges in the market for professional women's sports in Germany and Europe.
