The EHL Cup 2021 will take place at KHC Dragons and UHC Hamburg in late September and early October following confirmation by the European Hockey Federation of the next steps in the Euro Hockey League calendar.
It follows Easter’s reduced FINAL4 format – to account for Covid-19 restrictions – and will offer all teams who originally qualified for the 2020/21 season’s EHL the chance to finally hit the turf in world hockey’s premier club competition.
It will lead to the finalisation of the EHL Ranking tables with performances of each club potentially earning improved European spots for the 2021/22 season. The EHL Ranking tables will be published on October 4, 2021.
Recently crowned Belgian champions Dragons will play host to the EHL Men’s Cup at their grounds in the park of Brasschaat from September 30 to October 3 with 16 teams taking part. Teams will play on either on September 30 and October 1 or else have their matches on October 2 and 3. This will be the third time the club have hosted the EHL following a ROUND1 event in 2011 and then the FINAL4 in 2017.
The competition will consist of Mannheimer HC (Germany), Rot-Weiss Köln (Germany), SV Kampong (Netherlands), HC ’s-Hertogenbosch (Neterlands), La Gantoise HC (Belgium), KHC Dragons (Belgium), Club de Campo de Madrid (Spain), Surbiton (England), Hampstead & Westminster (England), Dinamo-Ak Bars (Russia), Dinamo Elektrostal (Russia), Saint Germain (France), Three Rock Rovers (Ireland), HC Minsk (Belarus), Grange (Scotland) and SV Arminen (Austria).
The draw will be announced during the EuroHockey Championship in June.
The EHL Women’s Cup will take place on October 2 and 3. It features four teams and will take place at the famous UHC Clubanlage venue. The German club previously welcomed the EHL for the 2009 men’s KO16.
In addition to hosts UHC Hamburg, England’s Surbiton, Ireland’s Pegasus and Belarus’s HC Minsk will battle it out on October 2 and 3 for this cup title.
“These events will be the first EHL event with crowds since October 2019 and so it is, of course, very exciting to welcome fans back,” EHL Chairman Hans-Erik Tuijt said.
“Another first is the hosting of a women’s event in October. In the spirit of always improving the best club hockey in the world, the EHL keeps pushing for new ways to connect with our fans.”
KHC Dragons chairman Renaud Stiers is looking forward to hosting a unique knock-out tournament at a venue close to the EHL’s heart.
“KHC Dragons is honoured to host the EHL Cup this autumn. We have good memories of hosting the FINAL4 in 2017 and really look forward to welcoming the elite of European hockey and many hockey fans to our premises again for four days of top hockey.”
From UHC Hamburg’s perspective, club chairman Horst Müller-Wieland is delighted to host the special event: “It is always a great honour and a great experience to play an EHL competition.
“In recent years, we have already enjoyed the hospitality of HC Minsk in Belarus and Surbiton HC in England in European competition.
“We are delighted to now have the chance to return the hospitality and welcome to these teams, together with Pegasus HC from Belfast, to our club in Germany’s hockey-metropolis, Hamburg. UHC Hamburg is looking forward to exciting international games!”
Details for the 2021/22 EHL season will be announced in due course.
EHL Cup 2021 details
EHL Women’s Cup entrants (October 2-3, 2021): UHC Hamburg (Germany), Surbiton (England), Pegasus (Ireland), HC Minsk (Belarus)
EHL Men’s Cup entrants (September 30 – October 3, 2021): Mannheimer HC (Germany), Rot-Weiss Köln (Germany), SV Kampong (Netherlands), HC ’s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands), La Gantoise HC (Belgium), KHC Dragons (Belgium), Club de Campo de Madrid (Spain), Surbiton (England), Hampstead & Westminster (England), Dinamo-Ak Bars (Russia), Dinamo Elektrostal (Russia), Saint Germain (France), Three Rock Rovers (Ireland), HC Minsk (Belarus), SV Arminen (Austria), Grange (Scotland)
** Click here to see full ranking tables:
Men https://eurohockey.org/download/outdoor-clubs-ranking-points-men/
Women https://eurohockey.org/download/outdoor-clubs-ranking-points-women/