The Game

Handball is an indoor team sport, which mixes high-speed action, gymnastic agility, sleight of hand and tremendous power with spectacular shots on goal. 

It has been described as a sport combining all the best elements of basketball, water polo and football with a little bit of rugby thrown in. 

Matches last an hour and handball players need to be all-round athletes to compete - strength, power, agility and good aerobic fitness are all essential.

This would go some way to explaining why handball is one of the most popular team sports across the world for women and men, spectators and players alike.

The International Handball Federation officially numbers 155 member federations and estimates that they represent approximately 800,000 teams and more than 19 million sportsmen and women.

The sport's elite men and women play professionally, mainly in Europe, and the ultimate objective for any player is to compete in the Olympic Games.
Court

The official handball court is 40 x 20 metres and has a 2 x 3 metre goal at either end. Each goal is surrounded by a 6 metre goal area.   Further out at 9 metres is the free throw line and this is usually dashed.  A 1metre long penalty line lies 7 metres in front of each goal. There is also a halfway line with a centre dot for the restart.