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.

WSE Champions League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 WSE Champions League
SportRoller hockey
Founded1965; 59 years ago (1965) (rebranded in 2022)
Organising bodyWorld Skate Europe - Rink Hockey
No. of teams32 (since 2022–23)
Most recent
champion(s)
Portugal Porto (3rd title)
Most titlesSpain Barcelona (22 titles)
TV partner(s)WSE TV
Related
competitions
Official websiteOfficial 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.

History edit

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.

Format edit

Since 2023, the competition is composed by 16 teams placed into 4 groups. The first 2 teams of each group play the final-eight.

Finals edit

 
Trophy given to the winners from the 2012–13 to the 2021–22 seasons.
Season Winners Score Runners-up Venue (finals)
1965–66   Voltregà 3–1, 6–2   HC Monza Two-legged finals
1966–67   Reus Deportiu 3–3, 6–3   HC Monza
1967–68   Reus Deportiu (2) 2–0, 6–2   Triestina
1968–69   Reus Deportiu (3) 7–1, 0–3   Benfica
1969–70   Reus Deportiu (4) 12–5, 8–6   Voltregà
1970–71   Reus Deportiu (5) 7–7, 9–4   Novara
1971–72   Reus Deportiu (6) 2–10, 11–0   Novara
1972–73   Barcelona 5–3, 7–7   Benfica
1973–74   Barcelona (2) 8–5, 4–5   Lourenço Marques
1974–75   Voltregà (2) 5–5, 6–4   Barcelona
1975–76   Voltregà (3) 2–2, 3–1   Barcelona
1976–77   Sporting CP 6–0, 6–3   Vilanova
1977–78   Barcelona (3) 8–3, 5–1   Royal Sunday
1978–79   Barcelona (4) 1–3, 6–2   Reus Deportiu
1979–80   Barcelona (5) 5–2, 6–3   Benfica
1980–81   Barcelona (6) 6–1, 6–2   Giovinazzo
1981–82   Barcelona (7) 4–1, 6–4   Amatori Lodi
1982–83   Barcelona (8) 9–1, 14–6   Sentmenat
1983–84   Barcelona (9) 2–3, 6–2   Liceo
1984–85   Barcelona (10) 4–5, 6–4   Porto
1985–86   Porto 5–3, 7–5   Novara
1986–87   Liceo 4–2, 4–3   Porto
1987–88   Liceo (2) 1–2, 4–1   Novara
1988–89   Noia 7–4, 3–1   Sporting CP
1989–90   Porto (2) 6–0, 5–2   Noia
1990–91   Barcelos 4–4, 4–3   Roller Monza
1991–92   Liceo (3) 7–6, 2–2   Seregno
1992–93   Igualada 4–1, 8–3   Benfica
1993–94   Igualada (2) 7–4, 2–3   Barcelos
1994–95   Igualada (3) 3–4, 3–1   Benfica
1995–96   Igualada (4) 0–0, 2–2 (a)   Barcelona
1996–97   Barcelona (11) 4–3   Porto   Palau Blaugrana, Barcelona
1997–98   Igualada (5) 8–1   Amatori Vercelli   PalaPregnolato, Vercelli
1998–99   Igualada (6) 6–5   Porto   Pavelló Poliesportiu de Les Comes, Igualada
1999–2000   Barcelona (12) 3–2   Porto   Pavilhão Rosa Mota, Porto
2000–01   Barcelona (13) 4–2   Liceo   Palacio de Deportes San Pablo, Seville
2001–02   Barcelona (14) 2–1   Barcelos   Pavilhão Multiusos, Guimarães
2002–03   Liceo (4) 4–3   Igualada   Pazo dos Deportes de Riazor, A Coruña
2003–04   Barcelona (15) 3–0   Porto   PalaBarsacchi, Viareggio
2004–05   Barcelona (16) 3–2   Porto   Palau d'Esports del Reus Deportiu, Reus
2005–06   Follonica League   Porto   Palácio dos Desportos, Torres Novas
2006–07   Barcelona (17) 5–2   Bassano   PalaBassano, Bassano del Grappa
2007–08   Barcelona (18) 5–2   Reus Deportiu   Palau Blaugrana, Barcelona
2008–09   Reus Deportiu (7) 2–2 (2–1 p)   Vic   PalaBassano, Bassano del Grappa
2009–10   Barcelona (19) 4–1   Vic   PalaLido, Valdagno
2010–11   Liceo (5) 7–4   Reus Deportiu   Poliesportiu d'Andorra, Andorra la Vella
2011–12   Liceo (6) 4–2   Barcelona   PalaCastellotti, Lodi
2012–13   Benfica 6–5 (a.e.t.)   Porto   Dragão Caixa, Porto
2013–14   Barcelona (20) 3–1   Porto   Palau Blaugrana, Barcelona
2014–15   Barcelona (21) 4–3   Vic   PalaSind, Bassano del Grappa
2015–16   Benfica (2) 5–3   Oliveirense   Pavilhão Fidelidade, Lisbon
2016–17   Reus Deportiu (8) 4–1   Oliveirense   Pavelló Barris Nord, Lleida
2017–18   Barcelona (22) 4–2   Porto   Dragão Caixa, Porto
2018–19   Sporting CP (2) 5–2   Porto   Pavilhão João Rocha, Lisbon
2019–20 Abandoned (due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe).
2020–21   Sporting CP (3) 4–3 (a.e.t.)   Porto   Pavilhão Gimnodesportivo Municipal, Luso
2021–22   GSH Trissino 4–4 (3–1 p)   Valongo   Palácio dos Desportos, Torres Novas
2022–23   Porto (3) 5–1   Valongo   Pavilhão Municipal José Natário, Viana do Castelo
2023–24       Super Bock Arena, Porto

Performances edit

By club edit

Club Winners Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
  Barcelona 22 4 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2018 1975, 1976, 1996, 2012
  Reus Deportiu 8 3 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 2009, 2017 1979, 2008, 2011
  Liceo 6 2 1987, 1988, 1992, 2003, 2011, 2012 1984, 2001
  Igualada 6 1 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 2003
  Porto 3 13 1986, 1990, 2023 1985, 1987, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021
  Voltregà 3 1 1966, 1975, 1976 1970
  Sporting CP 3 1 1977, 2019, 2021 1989
  Benfica 2 5 2013, 2016 1969, 1973, 1980, 1993, 1995
  Barcelos 1 2 1991 1994, 2002
  Noia 1 1 1989 1990
  Follonica 1 0 2006
  GSH Trissino 1 0 2022
  Novara 0 4 1971, 1972, 1986, 1988
  Vic 0 3 2009, 2010, 2015
  HC Monza 0 2 1966, 1967
  Oliveirense 0 2 2016, 2017
  Valongo 0 2 2022, 2023
  Triestina 0 1 1968
  Lourenço Marques 0 1 1974
  Vilanova 0 1 1977
  Royal Sunday 0 1 1978
  Giovinazzo 0 1 1981
  Amatori Lodi 0 1 1982
  Sentmenat 0 1 1983
  Roller Monza 0 1 1991
  Seregno 0 1 1992
  Amatori Vercelli 0 1 1998
  Bassano 0 1 2007

By country edit

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

External links edit