For the seventh time in the past 12 years, Györi Audi ETO KC secured the title in the EHF Champions League Women, after yet another dominating performance from the most decorated team in the history of the premium club competition in Europe. It is the second consecutive title for the Hungarian powerhouse, after the one sealed in 2024.

It was yet another fantastic season for the Hungarian side, which won 16 out of the 18 matches they played, finishing off with a 10-match winning streak, including two wins in the business end of the European premium competition, the EHF FINAL4, which took place in Budapest on 31 May and 1 June in the MVM Dome.

Györ had the second-best record in the group phase – just behind Metz Handball – and faced Team Esbjerg in the first semi-final of the competition for the third time in the past four seasons, with the same outcome as in the previous editions.

Having won all the mutual nine matches against Esbjerg, Györ started off strong and delivered an excellent performance against the Danish side, which qualified for the fourth time in a row in the semi-finals of the EHF Champions League Women.

As Györ had right back Dione Housheer score seven goals, and left back Estelle Nze Minko and line player Kari Brattset Dale add five and four goals respectively, they provided an excellent match, to take a 29:28 win and qualify for the final for the ninth time in the past 12 editions of the competition.

The 2024 IHF Female Player of the Year, Henny Reistad, had yet another excellent outing for Esbjerg, securing her top goal scorer title for the second time in three years, but her seven goals did not make any difference, as Györ clinched the win and progressed to the big final.

The second semi-final was a true roller-coaster, which produced a fantastic comeback from EHF FINAL4 debutants Odense Håndbold, handing Metz Handball their first loss of the season, 29:31, after extra-time.

Metz were looking for their maiden appearance in the final of the EHF Champions League Women in their fourth EHF FINAL4, and were firmly enough in the driver’s seat, after taking an early lead, which morphed into a 16:13 lead at the break.
The French side, which had won 15 matches and drew another one on their way to the EHF FINAL4, led by as many as seven goals, 22:15, with 17 minutes to go, but Odense had some aces upon their sleeve, namely goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, who entered in the second half.

On the back of an eight-saves performance, for a 40% saving efficiency, Odense roared back, tied the score at the end of the regular time, 27:27, pushing the match into extra-time.

There, the Danish side delivered a perfect defensive performance, as they limited Metz to only two goals scored in 10 minutes, to take a 31:29 win and progress to the final for the first time in history, with Lunde having the chance to secure her eighth Champions League title.

However, Györ’s experience and absolutely fantastic depth, proved to be decisive in the last act, as they took an early five-goal lead once again, leading 12:6 by the 18th minute, with Odense missing key chances.

Lunde was once again introduced between the posts and managed to weather the storm, as Odense were down five goals at the break, 20:15, in dire need of a better defensive performance in the second half.

As the Danish side constantly pressed with a seven-on-six attack, they managed to cut the gap progressively in the second half, where Györ scored only nine times. But the flawless performance from the first half was enough to see them through, 29:27, as Odense missed some key chances throughout the match to exert the needed pressure on the Hungarian side.

Györ secured their seventh title in history, reinforcing their status as the most decorated side in the EHF Champions League Women, while the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship MVP, line player Kari Brattset Dale, was also named the MVP of the 2025 EHF FINAL4.

Esbjerg finished third, with a 30:27 win over Metz, as Reistad scored eight more goals, to take her overall tally to 154 goals this season, the best-ever performance for a single player in the European premium competition, which saw the Norwegian player take her second top goal scorer title in the EHF Champions League Women in her career.

Photo credit: EHF / Kolektiff / Jozo Cabraja / Anze Malovrh