# BENE-League Handball

The BENE-League is a multinational handball competition for men's teams from Belgium and the Netherlands, which started in January 2008 under the name BENE-LIGA. Between 2010 and 2014, Luxembourg teams also participated in the tournament that was then called Benelux League.

## History

The idea of setting up a collaboration between the Belgian and Dutch top clubs dates back to the 1980s. However, as in many other sports, it was mainly talked about. However, in 2006 it all became more concrete. A system was devised to better frame the friendly matches from the preparation period, and a knock-out system was set up: quarter-finals in round-trip matches between the top 4 from Belgium and the Netherlands, and the winners would compete in a Final 4. At the end of 2007 it was announced that eight teams from the Netherlands and Belgium would compete against each other. The goal was to start a full Bene Liga competition in 2010 with more teams from the Low Countries.
The first edition of the Bene Liga was played in 2008 as a kind of cup formula. On the Belgian side, the first was kicked off by Initia Hasselt, Tongeren, Neerpelt and KV Sasja HC. Volendam, Aalsmeer, Hellas and Bevo HC from the Netherlands took part. The start of the BENE-Liga was, symbolically, announced in Baarle-Hertog. Evert ten Napel, a well-known Dutch sports reporter led the press conference. In the first edition of the BENE-Liga, KV Sasja became champion.

## 2023–24 season

    Below is the list of clubs that are members of the 2023–24 BENE-League Handball season.
| Country | Team | City | Venue |
| Belgium | Sezoens Achilles Bocholt | Bocholt | Sportcomplex De Damburg |
| Belgium | KTSV Eupen | Eupen | Sportcentrum Eupen |
| Belgium | Filou Izegem | Izegem | Sporthal De Kachtem |
| Belgium | Hubo Handbal | Hasselt, Tongeren | Sporthal Alverberg (Hasselt), Eburons Dôme (Tongeren) |
| Belgium | Sporting Pelt | Neerpelt | Dommelhof |
| Belgium | HC Visé BM | Visé | Hall Omnisports de Visé |
| Netherlands | Green Park/Aalsmeer | Aalsmeer | Sporthal De Bloemhof |
| Netherlands | Herpertz/BEVO HC | Panningen | SportArena De Heuf |
| Netherlands | Handbal Houten | Houten | Sportcentrum The Dome |
| Netherlands | Drenth Groep/Hurry Up | Zwartemeer | Succes Holidayparcs Arena |
| Netherlands | KEMBIT-LIONS | Sittard-Geleen | Stadssporthal Sittard |
| Netherlands | KRAS/Volendam | Volendam | Sporthal de Opperdam |
Below is the list of winners, finalists and other participants of Final four BENE-League tournaments.
| Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | Match for third place | Match for third place | Match for third place |
| Year | Host | Champion | Score | Second Place | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place |
| 2008 Details | Lommel | KV Sasja HC | 24-31 | Eurotech/Bevo HC | Initia Hasselt | 31–29 | United HC Tongeren |
| 2008–09 Details | Tongeren | FIQAS/Aalsmeer | 33-27 | KRAS/Volendam | Initia Hasselt | 29-27 | KV Sasja HC |
| 2009–10 Details | Luxembourg City | KRAS/Volendam | 33-30 | Achilles Bocholt | Pals groep/E&O | 34-33 | United HC Tongeren |
| 2010–11 Details | Hoboken | KRAS/Volendam | 32-29 | HC Berchem | United HC Tongeren | 32-22 | Initia Hasselt |
| 2011–12 Details | Volendam | KRAS/Volendam | 30-24 | Initia Hasselt | United HC Tongeren | 33-23 | OCI-LIONS |
| 2012–13 Details | Houthalen-Helchteren | Achilles Bocholt | 35-29 | KRAS/Volendam | Initia Hasselt | 30-29 | Kremer/Hurry-Up |
| 2013–14 Details | Differdange | Initia Hasselt | 31-18 | OCI-LIONS | HC Achilles Bocholt | 31-28 | KRAS/Volendam |
| 2014–15 Details | Hasselt | OCI-LIONS | 27-25 | Targos Bevo HC | United HC Tongeren | 24–22 | Hubo I. Hasselt |
| 2015–16 Details | Sittard | Hubo I. Hasselt | 35-34 | OCI-LIONS | Targos Bevo HC | 32-22 | QubiQ A. Bocholt |
| 2016–17 Details | Hasselt | Achilles Bocholt | 38-37 | OCI-LIONS | Callant Tongeren | 32-22 | Hubo I. Hasselt |
| 2017–18 Details | 's-Hertogenbosch | Achilles Bocholt | 34-31 | OCI-LIONS | FIQAS/Aalsmeer | 29-28 | Hubo I. Hasselt |
| 2018–19 Details | Antwerp | Achilles Bocholt | 35-34 | HC Visé BM | OCI-LIONS | 32-22 | Green Park/Aalsmeer |
| 2019–20 Details | 's-Hertogenbosch | Achilles Bocholt | | KEMBIT-LIONS | Herpertz Bevo HC | | HC Visé BM |
| 2020–21 Details | | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | | | |
| 2021–22 Details | 's-Hertogenbosch | KEMBIT-LIONS | 29-22 | Sezoens Achilles Bocholt | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. |
| 2022–23 Details | Bocholt | Sezoens Achilles Bocholt | 37-30 | KEMBIT-LIONS | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. | Match for third place between Sporting Pelt and Green Park/Aalsmeer has not played. |

### Hosts

| Year | Final four host | Hall | Date |
| 2008 | Lommel | Sportcentrum de Soeverein | 30 Juny–1 July 2008 |
| 2008–09 | Tongeren | Eburons Dôme | 30-31 May 2009 |
| 2009–10 | Luxembourg City | Coque Sport Cente | 20-21 February 2010 |
| 2010–11 | Hoboken | Sporthal Sport VIII | 26-27 February 2011 |
| 2011–12 | Volendam | Sporthal de Opperdam | 3-4 March 2012 |
| 2012–13 | Houthalen-Helchteren | Sportpark Lakerveld | ? |
| 2013–14 | Differdange | Differdange Sports Center | ? |
| 2014–15 | Hasselt | Sporthal de Alverberg | 7-8 February 2015 |
| 2015–16 | Sittard | Topsporthal Fitland XL Sittard | 6-7 February 2016 |
| 2016–17 | Hasselt | Sporthal de Alverberg | 25-26 February 2017 |
| 2017–19 | 's-Hertogenbosch | Maaspoort | 17-18 March 2018 |
| 2018–19 | Antwerp | Lotto Arena | 30-31 March 2019 |
| 2019–20 | 's-Hertogenbosch | Maaspoort | 14-15 March 2020 |
| 2019–20 | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled |
| 2021–22 | 's-Hertogenbosch | Maaspoort | 26-27 March 2022 |
| 2022–23 | Bocholt | Sportcomplex De Damburg | 18 March 2023 |

## Records and statistics
### By club

| Club | Won | Runner-up | Years won | Years runner-up |
| Bocholt | 5 | 2 | 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 | 2010, 2022 |
| Volendam | 3 | 2 | 2010, 2011, 2012 | 2009, 2013 |
| Hasselt | 2 | 1 | 2014, 2016 | 2012 |
| Limburg Lions | 2 | 5 | 2015, 2022 | 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
| Aalsmeer | 1 | 0 | 2009 | |
| Sasja | 1 | 0 | 2008 | |
| Bevo HC | 0 | 2 | | 2008, 2014 |
| Berchem | 0 | 1 | | 2011 |
| HC Visé BM | 0 | 1 | | 2019 |

### By country

| Club / Nation | Won | Runner-up | Finals |
| Belgium | 8 | 4 | 11 |
| Netherlands | 6 | 9 | 14 |
| Luxembourg | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 13 | 13 | 26 |