Financial predicament of the champion women's handball league team: Captain switches to Neckarsulm
HB Ludwigsburg Excluded from Handball Bundesliga and European Competitions
Following a financial collapse and bankruptcy filing in July 2025, HB Ludwigsburg has been excluded from major competitions in the Handball Bundesliga and European tournaments for the 2025/26 season.
The club, which was unable to secure funding or a sponsor after filing for bankruptcy, has been disqualified from the 2025/26 EHF Champions League Women's tournament and the German Handball Super Cup.
As a result, the European Handball Federation (EHF) has replaced HB Ludwigsburg with Norway's Solar HK in the Champions League, while Thüringer HC, the reigning Women's European League winner, has replaced Ludwigsburg in the Super Cup match scheduled for August 23, 2025.
The financial problems have also led to the club being unable to maintain player contracts, confirming their inability to take part in the current season's major competitions.
National team captain Antje Doell, who has found a new short-term club solution, expressed her disappointment and anger about the situation in Ludwigsburg. She believes the incident was a shock for the entire handball world and has described the situation as difficult for handball players.
Doell, along with her national team colleagues Xenia Smits and Jenny Behrend, have already found new clubs, as they prepare for the home World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in Germany and the Netherlands from late November.
Despite the challenges faced by HB Ludwigsburg, Doell remains focused on training and making the home World Cup a success with Germany.
Despite being disqualified from major handball competitions due to financial issues, other sports such as football may provide an alternative for HB Ludwigsburg players to continue their careers. Antje Doell, national team captain, has already found a new temporary club solution, suggesting that she and her teammates might consider playing football as an option.
