The picture for next season’s allocation of EHL places has become clearer for the 2023/24 season following last weekend’s Euro Hockey League FINAL8 and EuroHockey Trophy tournaments.
The full EHL Ranking List will be finalised following the conclusion of the European club tournaments which take place up until May 29th. The Ranking List is based on the performances of each different country’s representatives over the past three seasons.
For now, here is a breakdown of the confirmed positions.
Men
The Netherlands will remain top of the men’s EHL Ranking List following HC Bloemendaal’s gold medal and Pinoké’s fifth place ranking in their debut season. Germany stay in second after Rot-Weiss Köln finishing runners-up with Hamburger Polo Club and Harvestehuder THC in a share of seventh place.
The big move sees Belgium climb one place from fourth to third place, increasing their quota to three teams in the 2023/24 EHL Men’s season. This comes courtesy of Racing Club de Bruxelles’ first EHL bronze medal and Gantoise’s fifth spot.
Spain drops from third to fourth; Atlètic Terrassa ended in fourth place, Real Club de Polo in ninth and Club Egara 13th. They will have two places for next season along with fifth-ranked England and sixth-place France.
Austria (7th), Switzerland (8th) and Scotland (9th) will have one team in the EHL. The remaining two places are still up for grabs and will be finalised following the completion of the EuroHockey Club tournaments in May.
Women
The majority of the make-up of the 2023/24 EHL Women’s season has been determined with the Netherlands remaining on top courtesy of HC s’-Hertogenbosch’s second victory in the past three seasons along with SCHC’s fifth place.
Spain stays in second following Club de Campo’s run to the Grand Final and the fourth place of Sanse Complutense at the Wagener Stadium. Both nations will receive two spots next season.
Germany moved back up to third place following Düsseldorfer HC’s maiden European medal last Monday; this was backed up by Mannheimer HC’s runners-up spot at the EuroHockey Trophy in Wettingen.
They swap places with Belgium for whom Gantoise took fifth place and KHC Dragons were winners at the Trophy on Monday. Their nation is now in fourth.
England are in fifth following Surbiton’s seventh place at the EHL and Hampstead & Westminster’s bronze in the Trophy. Germany, Belgium and England all receive one EHL place.
It leaves one place to be determined. The last EHL spot will be decided following the conclusion of the other European club competitions which run until May 29th.