From the 2026-2027 season, the Starligue, the first division handball championship, will undergo its revolution. The National League (NHL) will announce this February 3 that from the 2026-2027 season, the title of champion of France will be decided from a playoff phase.
Since 1984, unlike the indoor sports cousins of basketball and volleyball, the championship has been played over the course of a regular season in the form of round-trip matches. At the end, the team ranked first is crowned champion.
Starting next season, the teams ranked in the first four places at the end of the regular season will meet in the semi-finals in the form of a home and away match: the first will face the fourth and the second, the third. The two winners will meet in the final which will be played, according to initial information, in a dry match probably on neutral ground in a room capable of hosting the event.
The League’s executive board unanimously voted for this measure at the beginning of January. Its general meeting should take place on February 3 and, barring any big surprises, officially validate it.
PSG champion for 10 years
Why such a revolution after a classic formula which has proven itself for almost half a century? To revive interest in the championship, make it more attractive sportingly and especially in the media.
For more than 10 years, the champion trophy has been the property of PSG, which has sometimes gone it alone. It happened that we knew the identity of the champion a month before the last day.
Only Nantes and to a lesser extent Montpellier are able to keep the distance behind Parisian domination. The League wants that to change, for the suspense to be total until the last minute to relaunch at the same time the economic and especially media interest of a sport which lacks it.
Unlike basketball players, the handball players’ title will however be decided in a single match, after a season of more than 35 matches. Some will no doubt find this unfair. The reform decision-makers will tell them that this is already somewhat the case: the winner of the PSG – Nantes duel at the end of May at the Accor Arena will probably be crowned champion in the process.
