SEHA – Gazprom League

The SEHA (South East Handball Association) – Gazprom League is a handball association in Southeastern Europe (hereinafter – the League). It was formed in 2011 at the initiative of sports federations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovakia, with a view to promoting the sports of handball in the Balkan region. Gazprom became the general sponsor of the association in 2013.

Over the past years, thanks to support of Gazprom, the League has featured more than 30 clubs from 13 countries: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine.

About 100 matches were played within each of the League's seasons. Starting from the very first season, all deciding matches are played in the Final 4 tournament.

In the 2022–23 season, the Division East was founded and brought together four top clubs from Russia and four top clubs from Belarus. The 2022–23 season also saw the finals of the League for the first time ever take place in Russia, at the Arena concert & sports complex in St. Petersburg. Starting from the 2023–24 season, the Division East, which was created with support of national federations, features as many as ten teams. In Russia and Belarus, the tournament was from its very beginning highly appreciated by athletes and coaches, as well as by experts and fans.

Over the years of its history, the SEHA – Gazprom League has established itself as Europe's leading regional handball tournament. Due to its excellent organization, strong players and large-scale spectacular Final 4 tournaments, the SEHA – Gazprom League has become a major sports event in Southern and Eastern Europe.

2020–21 season

Although the season started amid the pandemic, the tournament was efficiently launched owing to a flexible approach, remote work practices, and new formats of cooperation. The Final 4 took place in Zadar, Croatia. For the first time in the history of the League, the winner of the deciding match was determined in a penalty shoot-out. The players of Veszprem were more precise in their shots than the rivals from Zagreb and thus won the SEHA – Gazprom League for the fourth time in the team's history.

2021–22 season

The finals of the season were again held in Zadar at the beginning of September. The deciding match turned out to be extremely tense again. After the first period, Zagreb had a 6-goal advantage, but Veszprem, with such stars as the Olympic champion Kentin Mahé and the world champion Rasmus Lauge playing for it, turned the tide of the game and won it. The final match was attended by Michael Wiederer, President of the European Handball Federation, who noted the high level of game organization within the tournament and its overall development.

2022–23 season

At the end of September, the first match of the Division East was played. Many of the tournament's matches were broadcast by major sports channels in Russia and Belarus. The playoff matches were held in spring and the Final 4 took place in St. Petersburg at the beginning of June 2023. During the final match, the game was tense until the last second. The players of BHC Meshkov Brest won by a narrow margin and for the first time ever became the winners of the SEHA – Gazprom League.