BENE-League Handball explained

Sport:Handball
BENE-League
Founded:2008
Teams:11
Country:Belgium
Netherlands
Luxembourg (former)
Confed:EHF
Champions:KEMBIT-LIONS
Most Champs:Achilles Bocholt (5 titles)
Levels:1
Website:Website
Current Season:2021–22 BENE-League Handball

The BENE-League is a multinational handball competition for men's teams from Belgium and the Netherlands, which started in January 2008 under the name BENE-LIGA. Between 2010 and 2014, Luxembourg teams also participated in the tournament that was then called Benelux League.

History

The idea of setting up a collaboration between the Belgian and Dutch top clubs dates back to the 1980s. However, as in many other sports, it was mainly talked about. However, in 2006 it all became more concrete. A system was devised to better frame the friendly matches from the preparation period, and a knock-out system was set up: quarter-finals in round-trip matches between the top 4 from Belgium and the Netherlands, and the winners would compete in a Final 4. At the end of 2007 it was announced that eight teams from the Netherlands and Belgium would compete against each other. The goal was to start a full Bene Liga competition in 2010 with more teams from the Low Countries.

The first edition of the Bene Liga was played in 2008 as a kind of cup formula. On the Belgian side, the first was kicked off by Initia Hasselt, Tongeren, Neerpelt and KV Sasja HC. Volendam, Aalsmeer, Hellas and Bevo HC from the Netherlands took part. The start of the BENE-Liga was, symbolically, announced in Baarle-Hertog. Evert ten Napel, a well-known Dutch sports reporter led the press conference. In the first edition of the BENE-Liga, KV Sasja became champion.

2023–24 season

Below is the list of clubs that are members of the 2023–24 BENE-League Handball season.

CountryTeamCityVenue
BelgiumSezoens Achilles BocholtBocholtSportcomplex De Damburg
KTSV EupenEupenSportcentrum Eupen
Filou IzegemIzegemSporthal De Kachtem
Hubo HandbalHasselt, TongerenSporthal Alverberg (Hasselt), Eburons Dôme (Tongeren)
Sporting PeltNeerpeltDommelhof
HC Visé BMViséHall Omnisports de Visé
NetherlandsGreen Park/AalsmeerAalsmeerSporthal De Bloemhof
Herpertz/BEVO HCPanningenSportArena De Heuf
Handbal HoutenHoutenSportcentrum The Dome
Drenth Groep/Hurry UpZwartemeerSucces Holidayparcs Arena
KEMBIT-LIONSSittard-GeleenStadssporthal Sittard
KRAS/VolendamVolendamSporthal de Opperdam

Below is the list of winners, finalists and other participants of Final four BENE-League tournaments.

YearHostwidth=1% rowspan=30Finalwidth=1% rowspan=30Match for third place
width=15%Championwidth=10%Scorewidth=15%Second Placewidth=15%Third Placewidth=10%Scorewidth=15%Fourth Place
2008
Details
Lommel
KV Sasja HC
24-31
Eurotech/Bevo HC
31–29
2008–09
Details
Tongeren
FIQAS/Aalsmeer
33-27
KRAS/Volendam
29-27
KV Sasja HC
2009–10
Details
Luxembourg City
KRAS/Volendam
33-30
Achilles Bocholt
34-33
United HC Tongeren
2010–11
Details
Hoboken
KRAS/Volendam
32-29
HC Berchem

United HC Tongeren
32-22
Initia Hasselt
2011–12
Details
Volendam
KRAS/Volendam
30-24
Initia Hasselt

United HC Tongeren
33-23
OCI-LIONS
2012–13
Details
Houthalen-Helchteren
Achilles Bocholt
35-29
KRAS/Volendam

Initia Hasselt
30-29
Kremer/Hurry-Up
2013–14
Details
Differdange
Initia Hasselt
31-18
OCI-LIONS

HC Achilles Bocholt
31-28
KRAS/Volendam
2014–15
Details
Hasselt
OCI-LIONS
27-25
Targos Bevo HC

United HC Tongeren
24–22
Hubo I. Hasselt
2015–16
Details
Sittard
Hubo I. Hasselt
35-34
OCI-LIONS

Targos Bevo HC
32-22
QubiQ A. Bocholt
2016–17
Details
Hasselt
Achilles Bocholt
38-37
OCI-LIONS

Callant Tongeren
32-22
Hubo I. Hasselt
2017–18
Details
's-Hertogenbosch
Achilles Bocholt
34-31
OCI-LIONS

FIQAS/Aalsmeer
29-28
Hubo I. Hasselt
2018–19
Details
Antwerp
Achilles Bocholt
35-34
HC Visé BM

OCI-LIONS
32-22
Green Park/Aalsmeer
2019–20
Details
's-Hertogenbosch
Achilles Bocholt

KEMBIT-LIONS

Herpertz Bevo HC

HC Visé BM
2020–21
Details
Season canceled
2021–22
Details
's-Hertogenbosch
KEMBIT-LIONS
29-22
Sezoens Achilles Bocholt
Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played.
2022–23
Details
Bocholt
Sezoens Achilles Bocholt
37-30
KEMBIT-LIONS
Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played.

Hosts

YearFinal four hostHallDate
2008 LommelSportcentrum de Soeverein30 Juny–1 July 2008
2008–09 TongerenEburons Dôme30-31 May 2009
2009–10 Luxembourg CityCoque Sport Cente20-21 February 2010
2010–11 HobokenSporthal Sport VIII26-27 February 2011
2011–12 VolendamSporthal de Opperdam3-4 March 2012
2012–13 Houthalen-HelchterenSportpark Lakerveld?
2013–14 DifferdangeDifferdange Sports Center?
2014–15 HasseltSporthal de Alverberg7-8 February 2015
2015–16 SittardTopsporthal Fitland XL Sittard6-7 February 2016
2016–17 HasseltSporthal de Alverberg25-26 February 2017
2017–19 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort17-18 March 2018
2018–19 AntwerpLotto Arena30-31 March 2019
2019–20 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort14-15 March 2020
2019–20Season canceled
2021–22 's-HertogenboschMaaspoort26-27 March 2022
2022–23 BocholtSportcomplex De Damburg18 March 2023

Records and statistics

By club

ClubWonRunner-upYears wonYears runner-up
Bocholt2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 20202010, 2022
Volendam2010, 2011, 20122009, 2013
Hasselt2014, 20162012
Limburg Lions2015, 20222014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
Aalsmeer2009
Sasja2008
Bevo HC2008, 2014
Berchem2011
HC Visé BM2019

By country

Club / NationWonRunner-upFinals
Belgium
Netherlands
Luxembourg
Total 13 13 26

External links