The HLA Meisterliga (Handball Liga Austria Meisterliga) is the professional handball league of Austria.
Competition format
The current format was introduced in the 2025-2026 season. The competition has 12 teams. The season begins with a regular season where each team plays each other twice, home and away. The table is then separated into two parts, a championship group and a relegation group. The top eight teams meet in quarterfinals, followed by semi- and lastly a final. The winner is declared Austrian champion. The bottom four meets in relegation playoff to see who gets relegated to the HLA Challenger League.
Format prior to 2021-2022
The leagued consisted of 10 teams, who in the regular season played each other twice, home and away. The first five teams qualify for a first playoff round, while the last five play a play-down round. At the end of this second round, the five teams of the playoff round and the top three teams of the play-down round play elimination rounds. The last two play a relegation round.
Current teams
Teams for season 2025âÂÂ26
Handball Liga Austria past champions
- 1961 : ATSV Linz
- 1962 : WAT Atzgersdorf
- 1963 : Rapid Wien
- 1964 : Rapid Wien <small>(2)</small>
- 1965 : Rapid Wien <small>(3)</small>
- 1966 : Union West Wien
- 1967 : Rapid Wien <small>(4)</small>
- 1968 : UHC Salzburg
- 1969 : UHC Salzburg <small>(2)</small>
- 1970 : Union EdelweiÃÂ Linz
- 1971 : Salzburger AK 1914
- 1972 : UHC Salzburg <small>(3)</small>
- 1973 : Union Krems
- 1974 : Oberglas Bärnbach
- 1975 : Union Krems <small>(2)</small>
- 1976 : Oberglas Bärnbach <small>(2)</small>
- 1977 : Union Krems <small>(3)</small>
- 1978 : ASKÃÂ Linz
- 1979 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(2)</small>
- 1980 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(3)</small>
- 1981 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(4)</small>
- 1982 : Raika Köflach <small>(3)</small>
- 1983 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz
- 1984 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz <small>(2)</small>
- 1985 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz <small>(3)</small>
- 1986 : Union Raika Stockerau
- 1987 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz <small>(4)</small>
- 1988 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz <small>(5)</small>
- 1989 : UHK Volksbank Wien <small>(2)</small>
- 1990 : ATSE Waagner Biro Graz <small>(6)</small>
- 1991 : UHK Volksbank Wien <small>(3)</small>
- 1992 : UHK Volksbank Wien <small>(4)</small>
- 1993 : UHK Volksbank Wien <small>(5)</small>
- 1994 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(5)</small>
- 1995 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(6)</small>
- 1996 : ASKÃÂ Linz <small>(7)</small>
- 1997 : HC Sparkasse Bruck
- 1998 : HC Sparkasse Bruck <small>(2)</small>
- 1999 : HSG Raiff. Bärnbach/Köflach <small>(4)</small>
- 2000 : HSG Raiff. Bärnbach/Köflach <small>(5)</small>
- 2001 : jet2web Bregenz
- 2002 : jet2web Bregenz <small>(2)</small>
- 2003 : Alpla HC Hard
- 2004 : A1 Bregenz <small>(3)</small>
- 2005 : A1 Bregenz <small>(4)</small>
- 2006 : A1 Bregenz <small>(5)</small>
- 2007 : A1 Bregenz <small>(6)</small>
- 2008 : A1 Bregenz <small>(7)</small>
- 2009 : A1 Bregenz <small>(8)</small>
- 2010 : A1 Bregenz <small>(9)</small>
- 2011 : HC Fivers Margareten
- 2012 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(2)</small>
- 2013 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(3)</small>
- 2014 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(4)</small>
- 2015 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(5)</small>
- 2016 : HC Fivers Margareten <small>(2)</small>
- 2017 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(6)</small>
- 2018 : HC Fivers Margareten <small>(3)</small>
- 2019 : UHK Krems <small>(4)</small>
- 2020 : No Champion <small>(COVID-19 pandemic) </small>
- 2021 : Alpla HC Hard <small>(7)</small>
- 2022 : UHK Krems <small>(5)</small>
- 2023 : SG Handball West Wien <small>(6)</small>
- 2024 : HC Linz AG <small>(7)</small>
- 2025 : UHK Krems <small>(6)</small>
EHF coefficient ranking
For season 2017âÂÂ2018, see footnote
External links
References