CERH_European_League
WSE Champions League
European roller hockey competition
The WSE Champions League is an annual club roller hockey competition organised by the World Skate Europe - Rink Hockey and contested by teams from the top-ranked European leagues. It is the top-level European club competition and its winner earns the right to play the Continental Cup, against the winners of the second-tier World Skate Europe Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup, against the winners of the South American Club Championship.
Current season, competition or edition: 2023–24 WSE Champions League | |
| Sport | Roller hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1965; 59 years ago (1965) (rebranded in 2022) |
| Organising body | World Skate Europe - Rink Hockey |
| No. of teams | 32 (since 2022–23) |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Porto (3rd title) |
| Most titles |  Barcelona (22 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | WSE TV |
| Related competitions |
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| Official website | Official website |
The current champions are Portuguese side Porto, having beaten Portuguese side Valongo in the 2023 final to secure their third title in the competition.
Since its foundation in 1965, under the name of European Cup, the competition has been dominated by teams from Spain (mainly from Catalonia), Portugal and Italy. In 1997, the European Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup were merged to create the Champions League. In 2007, the competition name and format was changed to form the European League, a 16-team competition with no preliminary rounds. In 2020, the format was changed to a 9-team competition with no preliminary rounds. In 2021, the format was changed to an 8-team competition with no preliminary rounds. In 2023, along with a renaming back to Champions League, the format was again changed to accommodate 32 teams and two preliminary rounds.
The most successful team is Barcelona, having won a record 22 titles, including eight consecutive between 1978 and 1985. Barcelona are followed by four other Spanish teams, making Spain the most successful country in the competition, with 44 titles. Four Portuguese teams have won the trophy by nine times, while two Italian teams have won the trophy by two times.
Since 2023, the competition is composed by 16 teams placed into 4 groups. The first 2 teams of each group play the final-eight.
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By club
By country
| Country | Winners | Runners-up | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain |
46 | 17 | Barcelona (22), Reus Deportiu (8), Liceo (6), Igualada (6), Voltregà (3), Noia | Barcelona (4), Vic (3), Reus Deportiu (3), Liceo (2), Voltregà, Vilanova, Sentmenat, Noia, Igualada |
| Portugal |
9 | 26 | Sporting CP (3), Porto (3), Benfica (2), Barcelos | Porto (13), Benfica (5), Barcelos (2), Oliveirense (2), Valongo (2), Lourenço Marques, Sporting CP |
 Italy |
2 | 13 | Follonica, Trissino | Novara (4), HC Monza (2), Triestina, Giovinazzo, Amatori Lodi, Roller Monza, Seregno, Amatori Vercelli, Bassano |
 Belgium |
0 | 1 | — | Royal Sunday |