DEKRA

EHF and DEKRA extend and strengthen cooperation in European handball

The EHF and international expert organisation DEKRA expanded their cooperation as of the start of the 2025/26 season.

DEKRA has become the Official EHF Referee Partner in several club and national team competitions, including the EHF Champions League, the EHF European League, the EHF’s youth national team competitions and the EHF Wheelchair Handball Championship.

The new partnership covers around 1,300 matches per season. It will initially run for 2025/26 and 2026/27. The EHF and DEKRA also announced a refereeing partnership for the Men's and Women's EHF EUROs 2026 in March 2025.

As part of the agreement the DEKRA logo will be visible on the referees’ shirts and all of the federation’s 130 referees pairs were kitted out with DEKRA-branded referee shirts in neon orange, neon yellow and also DEKRA’s own corporate green colour.

LED perimeter advertising was added for youth national team competitions such as the Men's 20 EHF EURO and Women's 19 EHF EURO.

At the final weekends of the EHF Champions League and the European League, DEKRA will present the fair play announcement ahead of the matches.

The cooperation also includes a range of sustainability services which the EHF will be commissioning from DEKRA. DEKRA will work with the EHF and local organisers to calculate and benchmark the carbon footprint and environmental impact of events including the EHF EURO and EHF FINAL4.

The EHF goal of making handball one of the most sustainable sports in Europe will be further supported through a series of workshops with DEKRA experts.

Martin Hausleitner, EHF Secretary General, said: "Our extended cooperation sees DEKRA being present as official refereeing partner in almost all EHF competitions. There could not be a better brand-fit with our referees, as neutrality, objectivity and precision are the common values we share. We are very pleased about this broad and comprehensive partnership."

Uta Leitner, Executive Vice President Communications and Brand Management at DEKRA, added: "Actively supporting the EHF with our expertise in the area of sustainability will turn the collaboration into a genuine, active partnership. We are very much looking forward to getting started at the beginning of the 2025/26 season."