Experiencing a setback: Leading Ludwigsburg athlete experiences disappointment
HB Ludwigsburg Excluded from 2025/26 Bundesliga and Champions League
HB Ludwigsburg's women's handball team will not participate in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season or the Women's EHF Champions League, following their financial collapse and insolvency. The team filed for insolvency proceedings in July 2025 and failed to secure funding to continue, leading to their exclusion from key competitions [1][2][3][5].
The Women's Handball Bundesliga (HBF) withdrew HB Ludwigsburg from the 2025 Handball Super Cup, replacing them with Thüringer HC, and the European Handball Federation (EHF) disqualified them from the Champions League, replacing them with Sola HK.
The financial collapse has drawn strong criticism within German women's handball. Key figures in the league have accused HB Ludwigsburg of living beyond their means and described the situation as a serious setback and a betrayal of trust towards other teams [2]. The insolvency affects not only HB Ludwigsburg but poses challenges for the league as a whole, including potential loss of matches and the need for new structural ideas.
Regarding Karolina Kudlacz-Gloc, the long-time player affected by the club’s financial struggles, there is no publicly available detailed update about her current personal financial situation or team status after the collapse. However, the insolvency likely impacts her and other players’ contracts and careers since the club can no longer finance its professional operations [2][5].
Kudlacz-Gloc, aged 40, had planned to play one last season in Ludwigsburg before retiring, but the insolvency application of the club has disrupted her plans. She is a 197-time national player in handball and a fan favourite at HB Ludwigsburg, having won 7 German championships and 8 cup victories in her career.
The financial difficulties have left Kudlacz-Gloc, like her teammates, needing to make quick decisions about staying in Ludwigsburg for lower wages, switching teams, or retiring. The management of HB Ludwigsburg informed the players on Monday that their contracts are no longer binding.
Despite the setbacks, HB Ludwigsburg, the long-standing flagship of German women's handball, has not yet ruled out a start in the new Bundesliga season, with more clarity expected next week. Captain Xenia Smits of HB Ludwigsburg is reportedly in negotiations with a top international club [4].
Kudlacz-Gloc expressed sadness and concern about the impact of the insolvency on the lives and livelihoods of the people involved. She has turned down all offers due to the mental strain caused by the current situation.
References: [1] https://www.sport1.de/handball/bundesliga-frauen/news-hb-ludwigsburg-insolvenzantrag-stellt-große-herausforderung-fuer-bundesliga-und-ehf-46887356.html [2] https://www.faz.net/sport/handball/bundesliga-frauen/hb-ludwigsburg-insolvenzantrag-stellt-große-herausforderung-fuer-bundesliga-und-ehf-17378599.html [3] https://www.tagesspiegel.de/sport/hb-ludwigsburg-insolvenzantrag-stellt-große-herausforderung-fuer-bundesliga-und-ehf-17378599.html [4] https://www.sport1.de/handball/bundesliga-frauen/news-xenia-smits-vertrauensperson-von-hb-ludwigsburg-verhandelt-mit-top-klub-46889712.html [5] https://www.sport1.de/handball/bundesliga-frauen/news-hb-ludwigsburg-insolvenzantrag-stellt-große-herausforderung-fuer-bundesliga-und-ehf-46887356.html
In light of HB Ludwigsburg's exclusion from the 2025/26 Bundesliga season and the Women's EHF Champions League, the team may seek a service in sports management to secure funding and maintain their status in key competitions. Despite Kudlacz-Gloc's career achievements in football, her contract with HB Ludwigsburg is no longer binding, forcing her to consider alternatives such as playing for a different team or retiring.
