Europe Cup Women | 27 Feb 2021

Europe Cup Women moved to the final stage in May

Due the current situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ETTU Executive Board has decided to cancel the Europe Cup Women stage 1 and move straight to the final stage in May. The Europe Cup Men group stage 1 will go ahead.

The ETTU Executive Board analysed the situation and noted that there are a number of Europe Cup Women's clubs that are not allowed to travel outside their country and therefore have withdrawn from participating in the first group stage.

The first stage usually comprises four groups of three teams, with two teams from each group qualifying for the final stage. However, withdrawals in one group have meant that there are only two remaining teams and so both will automatically qualify without the need to travel to compete in the first stage.

The ETTU Executive Board agreed it would be unfair to the teams in the other groups to make them travel to play in the first stage when other teams do not have to and so instead all teams will play in the final stage scheduled for May.

The Executive Board determined that there is not a big difference between having 8 or up to 12 teams promoted to the final stage. In addition not all clubs from the Champions League women of the relegated clubs to Europe Cup confirmed that they will participate in the Europe Cup final stage.

In order to compensate the host clubs of the Europe Cup Women group stage one, the Executive Board will give them priority next season for hosting a group.

For the Europe Cup Men, the ETTU Executive Board agreed to go ahead with the group stage 1 as there are four groups of four teams. It would not have been possible to move straight to the final stage, as 16 teams plus the Champions League men relegated clubs would have been too big for a secure bubble.

In December the Champions League for Men and Women in Dusseldorf and Linz were organised very successfully in the bubble format. A good hygienic system proved to work out best. The measures were carefully prepared in order to protect the health of athletes and their teams and that result was 0 infections and no quarantine needed.

The Champions League gathers the top European clubs. In the unforgettable Women's final, TTC Berlin eastside justified their rankings and overcame Linz AG Froschberg in the closest possible way, to clinch the fifth title in Sportpark Lissfeld in Linz. Borussia Düsseldorf, the most successful club in the history of Champions League Men, clinched the 12th title. In the final in ARAG CenterCourt Düsseldorf overcame 1 FC Saarbrücken TT.

We all witnessed the safe return of our flagship club competition and we hope for the same in the Europe Cup. In addition the sudden death point at game five will add an extra excitement in Europe Cup as it did for the Champions League. The figures on social media justifies that optimism.

ETTU will send out applications for clubs to bid to host the final stage (bubble) shortly.