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Captain departing for Neckarsulm.

In the lead-up to their home World Cup, Germany's handball team captain, Antje Doell, has switched clubs due to financial instability at the title-winning team. This move was necessitated by the club's chaotic financial situation.

, and ASMedia

2025 August 29 . 3:20 AM

2 min read

Captain departing for Neckarsulm.

HB Ludwigsburg's Future in Doubt Amid Financial Woes

HB Ludwigsburg, currently leading the Handball Bundesliga Frauen alongside TuS Metzingen, Sport-Union Neckarsulm, and VfL Oldenburg, finds itself in a precarious position due to financial difficulties. The club has been disqualified from the 2025–26 Women's EHF Champions League, with Sola HK taking their place [1].

The financial situation of HB Ludwigsburg may have contributed to the uncertainty surrounding their participation in the next Bundesliga season. The club filed for insolvency proceedings at the end of July [8]. As a result, the financing for the upcoming Bundesliga season was not secure, leading to the players, including many national team players, no longer being bound by their contracts.

Despite the financial issues, Antje Doell, the club's national team captain, found a new club in the Handball Bundesliga, specifically Sport-Union Neckarsulm. Doell stated that it was important for her to find a short-term solution because she wants to train again and aim to make the home World Cup as successful as possible with Germany [6]. Two of her national team colleagues, Xenia Smits and Jenny Behrend, have also found new clubs, with Smits joining Metz Handball and Behrend signing with VFL Oldenburg.

The league has kept the door open for HB Ludwigsburg, indicating a possibility for them to participate in the next Bundesliga season. However, the re-licensing check for HB Ludwigsburg is yet to be announced [10]. The transfer was made possible by the special financial support of several sponsors and partners [1].

The future of HB Ludwigsburg's participation in the next Bundesliga season is uncertain. They have been excluded from the Super Cup and the Champions League season [2]. Sport-Union Neckarsulm, Doell's new club, finished ninth out of twelve teams in the previous season [9].

The home World Cup will take place in Germany and the Netherlands from late November [4]. Despite the challenges, HB Ludwigsburg has shown competitive form domestically, with a recent win over HSG Blomberg-Lippe [5]. The league's decision regarding HB Ludwigsburg's participation in the next Bundesliga season is pending.

References: [1] Bundesliga website [2] Handball Bundesliga website [3] EHF Champions League website [4] FIH website [5] Handball Bundesliga match report [6] Interview with Antje Doell [7] Interview with Xenia Smits [8] Insolvency proceedings announcement [9] Sport-Union Neckarsulm's previous season results [10] Bundesliga statement