Restart of 2019/20 German league in late August

The German water polo league 2019/20 won’t be finished without a battle for the title in the pools..

The league will be continued late in August, with the participation of six teams. Titleholder Spandau 04, Waspo Hannover 98, ASC Duisburg, White Sharks Hannover, OSC Potsdam, and SV Ludwigsburg will take part. Two of the eight Bundesliga clubs (Neukolln and SSV Esslingen) withdrew from the competition, but there will be no sanctions for them.

The talks between the clubs about the possible resumption of the league after the suspension, caused by the pandemic, lasted for a long time.

“It was a huge discussion. For a while, it looked as if only Spandau and Waspo Hannover wanted to continue playing. We are very happy that the six clubs have decided to continue playing. Two of the eight teams are not there, SG Neukolln and SSV Esslingen. But there are no sanctions for them, such as relegation,”, Spandau’s president and the head coach of the national team Hagen Stamm told the German daily “Tagesspiegel”.

The league will be continued with the quarterfinal tournament, which will take place on August 22nd and 23rd. ASC Duisburg, White Sharks Hannover, OSC Potsdam, and SV Ludwigsburg will compete at that tournament. Spandau and Waspo 98 Hannover, as the best-placed teams before the suspension of the league won’t play in the quarterfinals, they are directly qualified for the semifinals.

The best two teams from the quarterfinal tournament will play against Spandau and Waspo Hannover in the semifinals. The final series (best-of-five) will be held in September (2nd, 5th,6th, and, if it will be needed, 9th and 12th).

Spectators will be allowed to enter the stands (up to 300 spectators per game), but a strict medical protocol must be followed before each game (all of the players will be tested for COVID-19, etc).

Standings before the suspension