What is Handball?
Handball is a fast-paced indoor game where opposing teams try to score by throwing a ball into a football-style goal with posts and a crossbar.
By whom, where and when was Handball invented?
Handball was first played towards the end of the 19th century in Scandinavia and Germany. 'Field handball' - an 11-a-side game played outdoors - was first recognised at the turn of the century, and G. Wallström introduced indoor handball to Sweden in 1910.
Between 1938 and 1966, both forms of handball were played at separate World Championships with indoor handball gaining pre-eminence.
What are the rules of Handball?
Modern handball is played on an indoor court measuring 40m x 20m between two teams of seven players each. Players can take up to three steps without bouncing the ball and are allowed to hold onto it for a maximum of three seconds.
Body contact is permitted in what is a very physically demanding sport. Offensive strategies are encouraged with passive play resulting in a warning followed by the team giving up possession.
How long is a Handball match?
A handball match is 60 minutes long, comprising two halves of 30 minutes.
Where is Handball most popular?
Handball is very popular in Europe, especially in Scandinavia and the Balkans. The sport is growing in North Africa and the Middle East with Egypt and Qatar reaching the latter stages of men's global competitions in recent years.
France, Denmark (men) and Norway (women) are the most dominant handball nations at present with all 28 Men's World Championship titles going to European teams. In the Women's World Championship, only Republic of Korea (1995) and Brazil (2013) have broken the European stranglehold.
Handball and the Olympics
Field handball made just one official appearance at the Games, at Berlin 1936, although it was a demonstration sport at Helsinki 1952.
Indoor handball was played for the first time at the Olympics in Munich 1972 and Yugoslavia's men won the 16-team tournament.
Women's handball was introduced to the Games in 1976 with the Soviet Union claiming women's and men's gold in Montreal.
All medals at previous Games have been won by European teams with the notable exception of the Republic of Korea who took consecutive women's gold at Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992 as well as men's silver in Seoul.
Denmark won three consecutive women's golds from Atlanta 1996 to Athens 2004, but France were victorious at Tokyo 2020.
The French also won men's gold in Tokyo, beating reigning champions Denmark in the final to secure their third title in four Games
Best Handball players to watch
Denmark completed an unprecedented hat-trick of men's world titles in 2023 with right back Mathias Gidsel named tournament MVP having won the same award at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Gidsel has a number of outstanding teammates including three-time IHF World Player of the Year Mikkel Hansen and Simon Pytlick who made a huge impact at the 2023 World Championship. The Danes also boast goalkeeping hero Niklas Landin who has two IHF World Player of the Year awards.
Hansen and Nikola Karabatic are among handball's all-time greats with the Frenchman approaching the end of his illustrious career.
Sweden and Spain are also powerhouse men's handball nations with Jim Gottfridsson leading the Swedes to victory in EHF EURO 2022, while Alex Dujshebaev is a proven matchwinner for 'Los Hispanos'.
On the women's side, goalkeeper Katrine Lunde, helped Norway to victory at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, and bronze at the Rio 2016 and tokio 2020.
Her teammate Nora Mørk has come back from a succession of knee injuries to help Norway to the summit of handball although an Olympic title continues to elude her. Stine Oftedal, the 2019 IHF Player of the Year, and pivot Kari Brattset Dale are two more stars in a formidable outfit.
France are the reigning Olympic champions with centre back Grace Zaadi and pivot Pauletta Foppa their standouts.
Denmark goalkeeper Sandra Toft was the 2021 IHF Player of the Year, while Romania's Cristina Neagu is a four-time winner of the award despite her best Olympic showing being seventh place at Beijing 2008.
