Club Handbol Xàbia and Aarhus Beach have become first-time winners of the EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup after winning the 2026 women’s and men’s titles respectively in Porto Santo, Portugal.

Spanish side Xàbia were playing in their debut Champions Cup event and became the fifth team from the country to take the European club title while regulars Aarhus became the first Danish winners since 2023.

In total, 32 men’s and women’s teams (16 in each competition) represented 11 European nations at the four-day event (15 to 18 October).

 

Northern Europe battle it out for men’s gold

On their way to gold, Aarhus Beach lost just once – against eventual finalists 12 Monkeys Köln BHC in the main round (2-0) – but took victories in eight of their nine matches, including against the German side who were also in their first final.

As expected, the gold medal match went to a shoot-out, with the Danes taking a 2-1 (27:22, 20:25, SO 9:6) victory thanks to Andreas Søndergaard Høgh in goal and tournament MVP Christian Nielsen who made a crucial stop in the second round of the shoot-out to set up Jakob Magne Merrild for the winning goal and secure Denmark their first title in the competition since Rødby Beach Boys in 2023.

“I have no words to describe this feeling. It's just amazing,” said Nielsen to eurohandball.com after the final. “We played a really great tournament as a team. It's a statement for the rest of Europe that now Aarhus Beach is here. “

GRD Leça – Spar, who lost the 2025 final, beat Nazaré BHT 2:1 (14:22, 21:20, SO 6:4) in the all-Portuguese bronze medal match.

All-Spain final sees 2025 winners downed by debutants

Like the men’s winners, Club Handbol Xàbia lost just one of their nine matches on their way to gold, losing via shoot-out to Beach Unicorns Hannover in the main round, but impressive victories enroute to the final set up the all-Spanish gold medal match against title-holders CBMP Ciudad de Málaga.

But unlike the men’s final, Xàbia breezed to victory, taking a 2-0 (20:16, 22:10) 16-point overall victory, the key to which was a second set performance from goalkeeper Paula Quiles Vera.

“For us, this is a dream come true. We didn't expect it at all,” said Xàbia’s Paula Andreu Montesinos to eurohandball.com. “We trusted in our team, took things step-by-step throughout the tournament, and we were just enjoying the matches.”

All-star Team: Women
MVP: Rosa Benitez Gomez (Club Handbol Xàbia)
Goalkeeper: Dalma Mátéfi (Red Velvet BHC – Bomba)
Defender: Micaela Corimberto Perez (GRD Leça - Love Tiles)
Top scorer: Demi Bakker (Next Wave)
Fair play: Club Balonmano Getasur SF

All-star Team: Men
MVP: Christian Nielsen (Aarhus Beach) 
Goalkeeper: Andreas Søndergaard Høgh (Aarhus Beach)
Defender: Severin Henrich (12 Monkeys Köln) 
Top scorer: Zalan Szalay (Alba Fehérvár) - 178 points
Fair play: Ry Beach

2026 EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup: Final Ranking

Men’s competition
1.    Aarhus Beach (DEN)
2.    12 Monkeys Köln BHC (GER)
3.    GRD Leça - Spar (POR)
4.    Nazaré BHT (POR)
5.    Fundación Fomento Deporte CBMP Ciudad de Málaga (ESP)
6.    HÍR-SAT BHC (HUN)
7.    Alba Fehérvár (HUN)
8.    Frenchy's Beach Handball (FRA)
9.    MKS Alba Sphinx Grudziadz (POL)
10.    VRT / Lemar (POR)
11.    Kävlinge HK (SWE)
12.    Ry Beach (DEN)
13.    Black Lake Beach (NED)
14.    Hiekka Hauskaa (NED)
15.    London Beach Handball (GBR)
16.    BHC Rappi - Jona (SUI)

Women’s competition
1.    Club Handbol Xàbia (ESP)
2.    Fundación Fomento y Deporte CBMP Ciudad de Málaga (ESP)
3.    Red Velvet BHC - Bomba (HUN)
4.    GRD Leça - Love Tiles (POR)
5.    The Danish Beachhandball Dream (DEN)
6.    Tempo Donna Mamma (HUN)
7.    Next Wave (NED)
8.    Beach Unicorns Hannover (GER)
9.    Hiekka Hauskaa (NED)
10.    Associação Desportiva – ADG (POR)
11.    London United Beach Handball (GBR)
12.    Club Balonmano Getasur SF (ESP)
13.    Young Guns Bremen (GER)
14.    Beaurepaire Beach Handball (FRA)
15.    BHT Byczki Kowalewo Pomorskie (POL)
16.    Copaca-Bâlerina (SUI)

Photo credit: EHF / Kolektiff / Uros Hocevar