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What Is Handball?

Handball (also called team handball or Olympic handball) is a fast, physical team sport where two teams of seven players pass, dribble, and throw a ball, trying to score by launching it into the opposing team’s goal. If you’ve never watched it, imagine a combination of basketball’s passing and movement, soccer’s goalkeeping, and the physicality of ice hockey — all played at a pace that barely lets you blink. It’s the second most popular team sport in Europe (after soccer), an Olympic sport since 1972, and virtually unknown in the United States, which is one of the great curiosities of American sports culture.

How the Game Works

Each team has six outfield players and a goalkeeper. The court is 40 meters long and 20 meters wide — an indoor surface, usually. A semi-circular zone extending 6 meters from each goal (the “crease” or “D-zone”) belongs exclusively to the goalkeeper. Outfield players cannot step inside this zone — but they can jump over it, which is where handball gets spectacular.

Players advance the ball by passing or dribbling (bouncing, like basketball). They can hold the ball for a maximum of 3 seconds and take a maximum of 3 steps while holding it. Contact is allowed — defenders can use their torso to block attackers, and shoulder-to-shoulder pushing is legal. What’s not allowed is grabbing, hitting, tripping, or holding an opponent’s arms.

Scoring happens when a player throws the ball past the goalkeeper into a goal that’s 3 meters wide and 2 meters tall. Most goals come from jump shots — players leap from outside the 6-meter zone, releasing the ball while airborne over the crease. Elite players launch these shots at speeds exceeding 100 km/h (62 mph) from about 9 meters away. The goalkeeper has roughly 0.3 seconds to react.

Games consist of two 30-minute halves with a 10-minute break. Scores are high — a typical professional game ends with each team scoring 25-35 goals. The continuous action and frequent scoring make handball one of the most exciting spectator sports to watch live.

Positions

Goalkeeper — the last line of defense, standing in the goal and reacting to shots from all angles and distances. Handball goalkeepers need extraordinary reflexes — they face close-range shots at extreme speed. Unlike soccer goalkeepers, they don’t wear gloves (the ball is small enough to catch barehanded).

Center back — the playmaker who directs the team’s offense from the middle of the backcourt, similar to a point guard in basketball. They call plays, distribute the ball, and look for scoring opportunities.

Left and right backs — positioned on either side of the center back. They’re typically the team’s most powerful shooters, launching shots from 9-10 meters out. These are often the tallest and strongest players on the court.

Left and right wings — positioned near the sidelines, close to the goal. Wings are usually the fastest players and score from tight angles near the corners of the goal. Wing play requires speed, agility, and precision — the shooting angle from the wing position is much more difficult than from center.

Pivot (line player) — positioned near the opponent’s crease, with their back to the goal. The pivot creates space for teammates by screening defenders, receives passes for close-range shots, and disrupts the defense from inside. It’s the most physical position — the pivot is constantly being grabbed, pushed, and held by defenders.

The History

Modern handball evolved in Northern Europe in the early 20th century. Variants of throwing games existed for centuries, but the codified sport emerged in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden around 1917-1919. Two versions competed initially: field handball (11 players per side, played outdoors on a soccer-sized field) and indoor handball (7 players per side, played in a gymnasium).

Field handball appeared at the 1936 Berlin Olympics — partly because it was a German-created sport and the host country had influence over the program. Indoor handball gradually replaced the outdoor version because it was faster, more TV-friendly, and playable year-round.

Indoor handball joined the Olympic program permanently in 1972 (men) and 1976 (women). The sport’s Olympic presence has fueled its growth, though primarily in Europe, North Africa, East Asia, and South America.

Where It’s Huge

In Germany, the Handball-Bundesliga draws thousands of fans per game and millions of TV viewers. The 2007 World Championship final, hosted in Germany, was watched by 20 million viewers domestically.

Denmark treats handball as a near-religion — both the men’s and women’s national teams are perennial medal contenders. France, Spain, Sweden, Norway, and Hungary are also powerhouses.

Egypt and other North African nations have strong handball traditions — Egypt has hosted the World Championship and regularly fields competitive teams.

The total number of registered handball players worldwide is approximately 27 million across 183 national federations. In scale, it’s one of the world’s biggest sports — it’s just concentrated in regions where American media pays little attention.

Why Americans Don’t Know About It

The absence of handball from American sports culture is genuinely puzzling. The sport is fast, high-scoring, easy to understand, and physically impressive. Several factors explain the gap.

American indoor team sports are dominated by basketball — which occupies the same season, uses similar court dimensions, and has entrenched cultural and institutional support from youth leagues through professional leagues. There’s no room in the ecosystem.

Youth sports in America have no handball infrastructure — no school programs, no recreational leagues, no summer camps. Sports in America grow from the bottom up through youth participation, and handball simply isn’t offered.

Media coverage creates awareness, and American sports media covers handball only during the Olympics — and even then, briefly. Without TV presence, casual fans never encounter the sport.

But if you’ve never watched it, find an Olympic or World Championship match online. The speed, the athleticism, the goals — handball is one of those sports that makes you wonder why you hadn’t heard of it earlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is a handball court?

A handball court is 40 meters long and 20 meters wide (roughly 131 x 66 feet) — the same size as an indoor futsal court. The goals are 3 meters wide and 2 meters tall. A semi-circular line 6 meters from the goal (the 'D-zone' or crease) marks the area only the goalkeeper can enter. Players shoot from outside this zone, often while jumping over it.

Why isn't handball popular in the United States?

Handball has minimal presence in American youth sports, school programs, or professional leagues. The U.S. lacks the infrastructure (dedicated courts), media coverage, and cultural tradition that drive the sport in Europe. Basketball, which shares some court dimensions and skill sets, dominates the indoor team sport niche in America. However, handball is growing — USA Team Handball has expanded its development programs since the 2000s.

What are the basic rules of handball?

Two teams of seven (six outfield players plus a goalkeeper) try to throw a ball into the opposing team's goal. Players can hold the ball for three seconds, take three steps while holding it, and dribble like basketball. They cannot enter the 6-meter goal area (crease). Goals are scored by throwing the ball past the goalkeeper — most shots come from jump shots launched outside the crease. Games are two 30-minute halves. Typical scores range from 25-35 goals per team.

Further Reading

• IHF — International Handball Federation
• Olympic.org — Handball
• European Handball Federation