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For handball fans the wait is finally over. After the summer break, matchday 1 of the new Opel Handball Bundesliga will commence on August 27 with the Rüsselsheim-based car manufacturer and the world’s strongest league going into their first season together. The partnership is based on values that unite both partners: precision, dedication, accessibility and the ability to constantly reinvent themselves. The teams will fight for the new championship trophy, which bears the Opel logo for the first time and represents another striking symbol of the partnership following the unveiling of the new composite logo.
“We are looking forward to the new season and to being a key player in this thrilling sport as the title sponsor of the Opel Handball Bundesliga. German professional handball perfectly reflects Opel’s ethos: to appeal to people’s emotions through precision and top performance, whilst always remaining approachable. We want to bring these shared values of German handball and Opel to life for everyone in the new season,” said Patrick Dinger, Head of Opel Germany.
“At last, it’s starting again – from tomorrow, Thursday, the team of the Opel Handball Bundesliga will be competing for the German championship. Once again, the Opel HBL matches will thrill millions of people in the arenas and in front of their screens. This enthusiasm for handball exists because clubs and players tirelessly deliver on their promise of the highest quality and maintain a close bond with the fans. Quality and a close connection with fans are integral parts of a great tradition, as are an unwavering commitment to performance and the courage to innovate. This connects us in a special way with our naming sponsor, Opel. I am convinced that this will yield many positive outcomes for our partnership,” said HBL Managing Director Frank Bohmann.
Kick-off at 19:00 CEST: The first season of the Opel Handball Bundesliga starts
When the match between THW Kiel and TBV Lemgo Lippe starts on Thursday at 19:00 CEST, it will not only mark the start of the battle for points and titles, but also see the partnership between Opel and the Handball Bundesliga take shape in a way that is visible to every fan and the entire audience. As title sponsor, Opel is supporting a sport that, like almost no other, embodies dynamism, team spirit and passion – while being deeply rooted in German society.
What links handball and Opel goes beyond sport itself. Precision is just as crucial on the court as it is in Opel models on the road: every pass, every throw and every movement must be executed at exactly the right moment. At the same time, both partners are deeply rooted in Germany and have developed their identities over decades. Both stand for approachability and authenticity – and for an attitude that is not aloof, but sits firmly in the heart of society.
More than just a symbol: The trophy stands for top performance ‘made in Germany’
The Opel Handball Bundesliga championship trophy serves as a special symbol of the partnership. For the first time this season, it will bear the Opel logo, thereby highlighting the link between top-flight German handball and the car manufacturer.
For decades, the trophy has immortalised the greatest successes of German club handball and serves as a reminder of the teams that have fought their way to the top through passion, team spirit and hard work. With the launch of the Opel Handball Bundesliga, this symbol is now entering a new chapter. The Opel logo will become part of the championship trophy – and thus become part of a success story that is deeply rooted in Germany.
After all, the championship trophy, handball and Opel are linked by far more than just a name. They stand for values that have endured across generations: a commitment to excellence, reliability, and a spirit of teamwork and innovation. Opel has been developing and producing mobility solutions – first on two wheels, then on four – for people for 140 years. German handball has been thrilling millions of fans for decades and the Bundesliga is regarded as the strongest and most attractive league in the world. And the championship trophy is the visible embodiment of the highest sporting achievement – an object full of tradition and emotions.
When the new lettering is engraved into the silver, it is therefore more than just a formal adjustment. It is a symbolic moment in which three German institutions come together: a craft steeped in tradition, the most prestigious trophy in German handball, and a car manufacturer that has been moving people for generations. The engraving highlights what sets the partnership between Opel and the Handball Bundesliga apart: a shared commitment to quality, authenticity and the drive to always give their best. Values that count just as much on the court as they do on the road.
In this way, the start of the 2026/27 Opel Handball Bundesliga season and the engraving on the championship trophy mark the beginning of a new era. An era in which the championship trophy will continue to commemorate the greatest achievements in German handball – and in which Opel, as the league’s naming partner, will help to continue the sport’s success story in Germany.
Click here for the 2026/27 Opel HBL schedule.
Comprehensive strategy: Opel’s three-pronged commitment to professional handball
At the same time, the long-established German manufacturer from Rüsselsheim am Main is not only taking over the naming rights to the Handball Bundesliga for three seasons. Opel is also a strategic partner of the German men’s and women’s national handball teams and, furthermore, an official sponsor of the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany. The iconic Opel Blitz will thus make its mark on German handball in three ways at once. The major event will be one of the highlights on the 2027 sporting calendar. Opel will be present across all venues as the official mobility partner – modern, sporty and just as inspiring as the handball sport itself.
This claim is also embodied by the new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, designed, engineered and built at the headquarters in Rüsselsheim, and the top-of-the-line Grandland SUV produced in Eisenach, as well as the new high-performance GSE models. With its hot new ‘everyday sports cars’ Mokka GSE and the upcoming Corsa GSE, Opel is proving how electric, sporty driving pleasure arouses pure emotions.
[1] The values of a vehicle depend not only on the efficient use of fuel by the vehicle, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.
- Exciting opener: THW Kiel take on TBV Lemgo Lippe on matchday 1
- Three German originals, one shared history: Opel, professional handball and the new championship trophy engraved with the Opel logo
- Triple deal: Opel new title sponsor of the Handball Bundesliga, sponsor of the German women's and men's national teams as well as of 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany
For handball fans the wait is finally over. After the summer break, matchday 1 of the new Opel Handball Bundesliga will commence on August 27 with the Rüsselsheim-based car manufacturer and the world’s strongest league going into their first season together. The partnership is based on values that unite both partners: precision, dedication, accessibility and the ability to constantly reinvent themselves. The teams will fight for the new championship trophy, which bears the Opel logo for the first time and represents another striking symbol of the partnership following the unveiling of the new composite logo.
“We are looking forward to the new season and to being a key player in this thrilling sport as the title sponsor of the Opel Handball Bundesliga. German professional handball perfectly reflects Opel’s ethos: to appeal to people’s emotions through precision and top performance, whilst always remaining approachable. We want to bring these shared values of German handball and Opel to life for everyone in the new season,” said Patrick Dinger, Head of Opel Germany.
“At last, it’s starting again – from tomorrow, Thursday, the team of the Opel Handball Bundesliga will be competing for the German championship. Once again, the Opel HBL matches will thrill millions of people in the arenas and in front of their screens. This enthusiasm for handball exists because clubs and players tirelessly deliver on their promise of the highest quality and maintain a close bond with the fans. Quality and a close connection with fans are integral parts of a great tradition, as are an unwavering commitment to performance and the courage to innovate. This connects us in a special way with our naming sponsor, Opel. I am convinced that this will yield many positive outcomes for our partnership,” said HBL Managing Director Frank Bohmann.
Kick-off at 19:00 CEST: The first season of the Opel Handball Bundesliga starts
When the match between THW Kiel and TBV Lemgo Lippe starts on Thursday at 19:00 CEST, it will not only mark the start of the battle for points and titles, but also see the partnership between Opel and the Handball Bundesliga take shape in a way that is visible to every fan and the entire audience. As title sponsor, Opel is supporting a sport that, like almost no other, embodies dynamism, team spirit and passion – while being deeply rooted in German society.
What links handball and Opel goes beyond sport itself. Precision is just as crucial on the court as it is in Opel models on the road: every pass, every throw and every movement must be executed at exactly the right moment. At the same time, both partners are deeply rooted in Germany and have developed their identities over decades. Both stand for approachability and authenticity – and for an attitude that is not aloof, but sits firmly in the heart of society.
More than just a symbol: The trophy stands for top performance ‘made in Germany’
The Opel Handball Bundesliga championship trophy serves as a special symbol of the partnership. For the first time this season, it will bear the Opel logo, thereby highlighting the link between top-flight German handball and the car manufacturer.
For decades, the trophy has immortalised the greatest successes of German club handball and serves as a reminder of the teams that have fought their way to the top through passion, team spirit and hard work. With the launch of the Opel Handball Bundesliga, this symbol is now entering a new chapter. The Opel logo will become part of the championship trophy – and thus become part of a success story that is deeply rooted in Germany.
After all, the championship trophy, handball and Opel are linked by far more than just a name. They stand for values that have endured across generations: a commitment to excellence, reliability, and a spirit of teamwork and innovation. Opel has been developing and producing mobility solutions – first on two wheels, then on four – for people for 140 years. German handball has been thrilling millions of fans for decades and the Bundesliga is regarded as the strongest and most attractive league in the world. And the championship trophy is the visible embodiment of the highest sporting achievement – an object full of tradition and emotions.
When the new lettering is engraved into the silver, it is therefore more than just a formal adjustment. It is a symbolic moment in which three German institutions come together: a craft steeped in tradition, the most prestigious trophy in German handball, and a car manufacturer that has been moving people for generations. The engraving highlights what sets the partnership between Opel and the Handball Bundesliga apart: a shared commitment to quality, authenticity and the drive to always give their best. Values that count just as much on the court as they do on the road.
In this way, the start of the 2026/27 Opel Handball Bundesliga season and the engraving on the championship trophy mark the beginning of a new era. An era in which the championship trophy will continue to commemorate the greatest achievements in German handball – and in which Opel, as the league’s naming partner, will help to continue the sport’s success story in Germany.
Click here for the 2026/27 Opel HBL schedule.
Comprehensive strategy: Opel’s three-pronged commitment to professional handball
At the same time, the long-established German manufacturer from Rüsselsheim am Main is not only taking over the naming rights to the Handball Bundesliga for three seasons. Opel is also a strategic partner of the German men’s and women’s national handball teams and, furthermore, an official sponsor of the 2027 IHF Men’s Handball World Championship in Germany. The iconic Opel Blitz will thus make its mark on German handball in three ways at once. The major event will be one of the highlights on the 2027 sporting calendar. Opel will be present across all venues as the official mobility partner – modern, sporty and just as inspiring as the handball sport itself.
This claim is also embodied by the new Astra and Astra Sports Tourer, designed, engineered and built at the headquarters in Rüsselsheim, and the top-of-the-line Grandland SUV produced in Eisenach, as well as the new high-performance GSE models. With its hot new ‘everyday sports cars’ Mokka GSE and the upcoming Corsa GSE, Opel is proving how electric, sporty driving pleasure arouses pure emotions.
[1] The values of a vehicle depend not only on the efficient use of fuel by the vehicle, but are also influenced by driving behaviour and other non-technical factors.
