Handball is only starting to get recognized as a great sport in North America. For decades, it has been one of the most popular sports in the world. It’s played on all continents, it has a world cup, and is an official competition of the Olympic Games. People I play with often ask me, where is handball most popular?
Handball is most popular in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, France, Spain, Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Romania. Currently, handball is the second most popular sport in Europe with France, and the Nordic countries, being the most interested in the sport.
Even though the sport is most popular in Europe, this fantastic game is played on every continent in the world. Little by little, handball gyms, games, and communities are popping up in every country. Some still refer to it as “European Handball” since that’s where the game started, but Americans, Asians, Australians, and Africans all have handball leagues in many of their own countries, states, or provinces.
Is Handball Popular in America?
The popularity of handball is growing around the world, and it’s only time before it catches on in America as well. Obviously, it has a lot of competition, but it’s starting to show signs of life across the whole continent.
Handball is not one of the major popular sports in America, although it’s played in on the amateur level in almost every state. It’s most popular in New York, Connecticut, and Kentucky. Females have been more inclined to play, cheer, and drive on the popularity of handball in America than males.
All that might change soon as America is about to make a big investment into a professional handball league. Recently, USA Team Handball CEO Barry Siff said plans to start a professional handball league in the United States are underway.
The first North American professional handball league which is set to start in the year 2023 will have 10 teams all bases in the US.
Which Country is the Best at Handball?
People often wonder which nation is the best at handball.
Currently, Denmark is considered to have the best men’s national handball team. They are the reigning, two-time, handball world champions winning in 2021 and 2019. Norway has the best women’s national handball team, which won the 2020 world championship.
One could argue that France is the best handball nation since they have won 6 world championships, most all-time, and have 11 total medals won at the tournament, second-most all-time. Additionally, they were back-to-back champions before Denmark’s current reign.
Another country that can’t be overlooked as one of the best handball nations is Sweden. They are 4-time world champions, second-most all-time, and have won 12 medals at the world championships, the most by any country. Although, the last time achieved victory at the tournament was back in 1999.
If you want to know more about the world rankings in men’s or women’s handball, visit the International Handball Federation.
What is the Most Popular Handball Team?
It’s never easy to explain which handball club is the most popular as things seems to change from year to year. What makes it more difficult is that most European nations will argue that their team is the most popular.
The best and most popular handball team in the world is FC Barcelona Handbol team, beating out the French giants PSG, and the sturdy German contenders THW Kiel. FC Barcelona is the reigning European handball champion. A title they have won 10 times.
FC Barcelona’s popularity from football has certainly trickled over to handball as well. The teams share names, colors, jerseys, songs, and fans.
What is the Most Popular Handball League in the World?
There are 2 European leagues that always seem to be more competitive than every other organization.
The most popular and most-watched handball league in the world is the French league called Lidl Starligue. According to the European Handball Federation ranking, the French league is second in competitiveness to the German league known as the Handball-Bundesliga.
Rankings and popularity fluctuate from year to year, but the German and French leagues are always considered the most competitive. For that reason, they are also the most popular.
Want to Know More About Handball?
If you want to learn all the rules of the game, I’ve put together an article with everything you need to know. It’s called Handball Rules, How to Play Handball. The guide is equipped with a bullet point list of all the rules you need to know to play the game. Regardless of if you play indoors or at a beach, the same rules apply.
There, you’ll find a downloadable PDF of all the rules and regulations. Feel free to download my guide and share it with your teammate and organization.
Keep playing this amazing game, and always remember to be competitive and have fun.