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International Handball Federation
International sports governing body organizing team handball
International sports governing body organizing team handball
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | International Handball Federation |
| logo | International Handball Federation.png |
| logosize | 190px |
| sport | Handball |
| othersport1 | Beach handball |
| othersport2 | Wheelchair handball |
| historytitle | History |
| preceding_organisations | International Amateur Athletic Federation |
| (1926–1928) | |
| International Amateur Handball Federation | |
| (1928–1946) | |
| founded | |
| demographicstitle | Demographics |
| membership_size | 209 members |
| affiliationstitle | Affiliations |
| other_aff1 | International Olympic Committee |
| other_aff2 | Association of Summer Olympic International Federations |
| electedtitle | Governance |
| president | Hassan Moustafa |
| board_type | Honorary president |
| board1 | Erwin Lanc |
| sectitle | Headquarters |
| address1 | Peter Merian-Strasse 23, P.O. Box CH-4002, Basel |
| country | Switzerland |
| staff_pos1 | General director |
| staff_name1 | Amal Khalifa |
| staff_pos2 | Official language(s) |
| staff_name2 | English, French and German |
| staff_pos3 | Main organ |
| staff_name3 | IHF Congress |
| IHF Council | |
| financetitle | Finance |
| company_status | Active |
| operating_income | CHF 7.24 million or US$ 7.84 million (in 2022) |
| CHF 2.10 million or US$ 2.28 million (in 2023) | |
| sponsors | Gerflor |
| Hummel International | |
| Sportfive | |
| Molten Corporation | |
| regionstitle | Regions |
| region1 | Africa |
| region2 | Asia |
| region3 | Europe |
| region4 | North America and Caribbean |
| region5 | Oceania |
| region6 | South and Central America |
| url | ihf.info |
(1926–1928) International Amateur Handball Federation (1928–1946) IHF Council CHF 2.10 million or US$ 2.28 million (in 2023) Hummel International Sportfive Molten Corporation
The International Handball Federation (IHF) is the administrative and controlling body for handball and beach handball. IHF is responsible for the organisation of handball's major international tournaments, notably the IHF World Men's Handball Championship, which commenced in 1938, and the IHF World Women's Handball Championship, which commenced in 1957.
IHF was founded in 1946 to oversee international competitions. Headquartered in Basel, its membership now comprises 209 national federations. Each member country must each also be a member of one of the six regional confederations: Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Caribbean, Oceania, and South and Central America. Hassan Moustafa from Egypt has been President of the IHF since 26 November 2000.
History
The precursor to IHF, the International Amateur Handball Federation (IAHF) was founded in Amsterdam during the 1928 Olympic Games.
The IHF was founded on 12 July 1946, in Palace Hotel in Copenhagen (Denmark) by representatives of eight national federations. The founding members were Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland. The first president of IHF was Gösta Björk from Sweden. Björk was replaced in 1950 by Hans Baumann from Switzerland. In 1954, the first IHF Men's World Championship, was conducted under the aegis of the IHF, in Sweden with the participation of six national teams. In 1957, the first IHF World Women's Handball Championship was held in SFR Yugoslavia with the participation of nine national teams. Handball was included in the Olympic Games for the first time under the auspices of IHF in Munich 1972 (men's tournament) and Montreal 1976 (women's tournament).
Structure
Laws and governance
IHF is headquartered in Basel, and is a federation established under the Law of Switzerland. IHF's supreme body is the IHF Congress, an assembly made up of representatives from each affiliated member association. Each national handball association has one vote, regardless of its size or handballing strength. The Congress assembles in ordinary session once in two years (odd years) after the IHF World Men's Handball Championship. The congress makes decisions relating to IHF's governing statutes and their method of implementation and application. Only the Congress can pass changes to IHF's statutes. The congress approves the annual report, and decides on the acceptance of new national associations and holds elections. Congress elects the President of IHF, its General Secretary, and the other members of the IHF Council. IHF's Council, chaired by the President, is the main decision-making body of the organisation in the intervals of Congress. The Council is composed of 18 people: the President, 5 Vice Presidents, and 12 members. The Council is the body that decides which country will host the World Championship. The President and General Secretary are the main officeholders of IHF, and are in charge of its daily administration, carried out by the General Secretariat. Hassan Moustafa is the current president, appointed in the year 2000 at the 28th Ordinary IHF Congress.
Six confederations and 209 national associations
The IHF is composed of six continental federations which organize continental championships held every other second year:
- African Handball Confederation
- Asian Handball Federation
- European Handball Federation
- North America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation
- Oceania Continent Handball Federation
- South and Central America Handball Confederation In addition to continental competitions between national teams, the federations arrange international tournaments between club teams.
Until 2017, there were five continental confederations. On 14 January 2018, the IHF Council divided the Pan-American Confederation into the North America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation and the South and Central America Handball Confederation. The authority to divide a continental confederation was assigned to the IHF Congress, but the 36th IHF Congress in 2017 authorized the IHF Council to divide the Pan-American Team Handball Federation.
IHF presidents
| No. | Name | Country | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Gösta Björk | 11 July 1946 – 9 September 1950 | |
| 2. | Hans Baumann† | 9 September 1950 – 9 February 1971 | |
| Interim | Paul Högberg | 9 February 1971 – 23 August 1972 | |
| 3. | Paul Högberg | 23 August 1972 – 25 July 1984 | |
| 4. | Erwin Lanc | 25 July 1984 – 26 November 2000 | |
| 5. | Hassan Moustafa | 26 November 2000 – present |
† Hans Baumann died in office on 9 February 1971 due to illness.
IHF Executive committee
The following is the IHF Executive Committee for the term 2021 — 2025.
| Designation | Name |
|---|---|
| President | EGY Hassan Moustafa |
| 1st Vice-president | FRA Joël Delplanque |
| Treasurer | SWE Anna Rapp |
| Executive members | ROU Narcisa Lecușanu |
| CZE František Táborský | |
| Managing director | EGY Amal Khalifa |
IHF Council
Main article: IHF Council
The IHF Council is the IHF's main decision-making body between meetings of the IHF Congress. It is currently serving a 2021—2025 term.
IHF commissions
| IHF Ethics Commission | EGY Hussein Moustafa Fathy |
|---|
- Italics means Acting Chairperson
IHF tournaments
;Handball
- IHF World Men's Handball Championship
- IHF World Women's Handball Championship
- IHF Men's U21 Handball World Championship
- IHF Women's U20 Handball World Championship
- IHF Men's U19 Handball World Championship
- IHF Women's U18 Handball World Championship
- IHF Men's U17 Handball World Championship
- IHF Women's Cadet World Championship
- IHF Emerging Nations Championship
- IHF Inter-Continental Trophy
- IHF Confederations Cup (proposed)
;Beach handball
- IHF Beach Handball World Championship
- IHF Youth Beach Handball World Championship
- IHF Beach Handball Global Tour
; Wheelchair handball
- IHF Wheelchair Handball World Championship
;Club handball
- IHF Men's Super Globe
- IHF Women's Super Globe
;Multi-sport events
-
Handball at the Summer Olympics
-
Handball at the Youth Olympic Games (Defunct)
-
Beach handball at the World Games
-
Beach handball at the World Beach Games
-
Beach handball at the Youth Olympic Games
Medals
Title holders
International title holders
| Competition | Men's Champion | Women's Champion |
|---|---|---|
| World Cup | (2025) (4) | (2025) (5) |
| Handball Olympic Tournament | (2024) (2) | (2024) (3*) |
| Emerging Nations Championship | (2025) (1) | — |
| Junior World Championship | (2025) (4) | (2024) (1) |
| Youth World Championship | (2025) (1) | (2024) (1) |
| Cadet World Championship | (2025) (1) | — |
| Handball Youth Olympic Tournament | (2018) (1*) | (2018) (1*) |
| Club World Cup | ESP Barcelona (2025) (6*) | — |
| Beach Handball World Championship | (2024) (4) | (2024) (2) |
| Youth Beach Handball World Championship | (2025) (2*) | (2025) (2*) |
Continental title holders
| Africa | Asia | Europe | Oceania | South and Central America | North America and Caribbean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Men's | (2026) (10) | (2026) (1) | (2026) (3) | (2014) (8*) | (2024) (2*) |
| Senior Women's | (2024) (16*) | (2024) (2) | (2024) (10*) | (2016) (7*) | (2024) (4*) |
| Men's Continental Games | (2023) (8*) | (2022) (3) | — | (2006) (2*) | (2023) (3*) |
| Women's Continental Games | (2023) (8*) | (2022) (1) | — | (2007) (1*) | (2023) (7*) |
| Junior Men's | (2024) (14*) | (2024) (2) | (2024) (4*) | (2024) (1) | (2024) (2*) |
| Junior Women's | (2025) (1) | (2023) (1) | (2025) (1) | (2023) (2*) | (2023) (2*) |
| Youth Boys | (2024) (8*) | (2024) (3*) | (2024) (3*) | (2024) (1) | (2024) (2*) |
| Youth Girls | (2025) (6*) | (2025) (1) | (2025) (1) | (2023) (3*) | (2023) (2*) |
| Boys' Continental Youth Games | — | (2013) (1*) | (2025) (1) | — | — |
| Girls' Continental Youth Games | — | (2013) (1*) | (2025) (1) | — | — |
| Men's Club | EGY Al-Zamalek SC (2019) (12*) | UAE Sharjah SC (2025) (1) | GER SC Magdeburg (2024–25) (5) | AUS Sydney University (2025) (11*) | BRA H. Taubaté (2024) (3*) |
| Women's Club | ANG 1º de Agosto (2019) (6) | KAZ Kaysar Club (2024) (3*) | HUN Győri Audi ETO (2024–25) (7) | AUS University of Queensland (2025) (3*) | BRA EC Pinheiros (2024) (3*) |
| Men's Beach Handball | — | (2025) (2) | (2025) (1) | (2022) (1) | (2024) (3*) |
| Women's Beach Handball | — | (2025) (3*) | (2025) (1) | (2022) (5*) | (2024) (2*) |
| Men's Youth Beach Handball | — | (2022) (1*) | (2021) | (2017) (1*) | (2022) (1*) |
| Women's Youth Beach Handball | — | (2022) (1*) | (2021) | (2017) (1*) | (2022) (1*) |
-
- = Record titles
Member federations
;Category A
- ALG Algeria
- ARG Argentina
- AUT Austria
- BLR Belarus
- BHR Bahrain
- CHN China
- CRO Croatia
- CZE Czechia
- DEN Denmark
- ESP Spain
- FRA France
- GER Germany
- HUN Hungary
- IRI I. R. Iran
- ISL Iceland
- ITA Italy
- JPN Japan
- KOR South Korea
- KSA Saudi Arabia
- KUW Kuwait
- MNE Montenegro
- NED Netherlands
- NOR Norway
- OMA Oman
- POL Poland
- QAT Qatar
- ROU Romania
- RUS Russian Federation
- SLO Slovenia
- SRB Serbia
- SUI Switzerland
- SVK Slovakia
- SWE Sweden
- UAE United Arab Emirates
;Category B
- ANG Angola
- BEL Belgium
- BIH Bosnia and Herzegovina
- BRA Brazil
- EGY Egypt
- FIN Finland
- GRE Greece
- HKG Hong Kong, China
- ISR Israel
- JOR Jordan
- KAZ Kazakhstan
- LBA Libya
- LUX Luxembourg
- MAR Morocco
- MKD North Macedonia
- POR Portugal
- SIN Singapore
- TUN Tunisia
- TUR Turkey
- UKR Ukraine
;Category C
- AFG Afghanistan
- ALB Albania
- ASA American Samoa
- AND Andorra
- ATG Antigua and Barbuda
- ARM Armenia
- AUS Australia
- AZE Azerbaijan
- BAH Bahamas
- BAN Bangladesh
- BAR Barbados
- BIZ Belize
- BEN Benin
- BHU Bhutan
- BOL Bolivia
- BOT Botswana
- IVB British Virgin Islands
- BRU Brunei
- BUL Bulgaria
- BUR Burkina Faso
- BDI Burundi
- CAM Cambodia
- CMR Cameroon
- CAN Canada
- CAY Cayman Islands
- CPV Cape Verde
- CAF Central African Republic
- CHA Chad
- CHI Chile
- COL Colombia
- CGO Congo
- COD DR Congo
- COK Cook Islands
- COM Comoros
- CRC Costa Rica
- CUB Cuba
- CYP Cyprus
- DJI Djibouti
- DMA Dominica
- DOM Dominican Republic
- ECU Ecuador
- ESA El Salvador
- GEQ Equatorial Guinea
- EST Estonia
- ETH Ethiopia
- FRO Faroe Islands
- FSM Federated States of Micronesia
- FIJ Fiji
- GAB Gabon
- GAM Gambia
- GEO Georgia
- GBR Great Britain
- GBS Guinea-Bissau
- GHA Ghana
- GRL Greenland
- GRN Grenada
- GUA Guatemala
- GUI Guinea
- GUM Guam
- GUY Guyana
- HAI Haiti
- HON Honduras
- IND India
- INA Indonesia
- IRQ Iraq
- IRL Ireland
- CIV Ivory Coast
- JAM Jamaica
- KEN Kenya
- KIR Kiribati
- KOS Kosovo
- KGZ Kyrgyzstan
- LAO Laos
- LAT Latvia
- LIB Lebanon
- LES Lesotho
- LBR Liberia
- LIE Liechtenstein
- LTU Lithuania
- MAC Macau,China
- MAD Madagascar
- MAW Malawi
- MAS Malaysia
- MDV Maldives
- MHL Marshall Islands
- MLI Mali
- MLT Malta
- MTN Mauritania
- MRI Mauritius
- MEX Mexico
- MDA Moldova
- MON Monaco
- MGL Mongolia
- MOZ Mozambique
- NAM Namibia
- NRU Nauru
- NEP Nepal
- NZL New Zealand
- NCA Nicaragua
- NIG Niger
- NGR Nigeria
- PRK North Korea
- PAK Pakistan
- PLE Palestine
- PLW Palau
- PAN Panama
- PNG Papua New Guinea
- PAR Paraguay
- PER Peru
- PHI Philippines
- PUR Puerto Rico
- RWA Rwanda
- SAM Samoa
- STP São Tomé and Príncipe
- SEN Senegal
- SEY Seychelles
- SKN Saint Kitts and Nevis
- LCA Saint Lucia
- SLE Sierra Leone
- SOL Solomon Islands
- SOM Somalia
- RSA South Africa
- SSD South Sudan
- SRI Sri Lanka
- SUD Sudan
- SWZ Swaziland
- SYR Syria
- TAN Tanzania
- TJK Tajikistan
- TPE Chinese Taipei
- THA Thailand
- TLS Timor Leste
- TOG Togo
- TGA Tonga
- TRI Trinidad and Tobago
- TKM Turkmenistan
- TUV Tuvalu
- UGA Uganda
- URU Uruguay
- USA United States of America
- UZB Uzbekistan
- VAN Vanuatu
- VEN Venezuela
- VIE Vietnam
- YEM Yemen
- ZAM Zambia
- ZIM Zimbabwe
Associated members
- ENG England
- TAH French Polynesia
- Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands
- SCO Scotland
Regional members
- GUF French Guiana
- GLP Guadeloupe
- Martinique Martinique
- NCL New Caledonia
IHF Awards
The IHF issues awards to organisations and individuals in recognition of their particular contribution to developing the sport of handball and the IHF.
These awards are:
- Hans Baumann Trophy (defunct after 2015, renamed as IHF President's Development Award)
- IHF Badge of Merit
- IHF Certificate of Merit
- IHF Cup of Honour and certificate
- IHF Hall of Fame
- IHF Honorary President and Honorary Members
- IHF Olympic Order
- IHF Plaque of Merit
- IHF President's Development Award
- IHF Referee's Badge of Honour
- IHF Referee's Diploma of Honour
- IHF Ring of Honour
- IHF World Coach of the Year
- IHF World Player of the Year
IHF partners
| Type | Partner |
|---|---|
| Official sportswear | Hummel International |
| Host broadcaster | Sportfive |
| Official ball supplier | Molten Corporation |
| Official floor supplier | Gerflor |
References
References
- (2021). "Annexation or fertile inclusion? The origins of handball's international organisational structures". Sport in History.
- [http://ihf.info/en-us/theihf/organization/president/curriculumvitae.aspx Curriculum Vitae: Dr Hassan Moustafa EGY - 2000]. International Handball Federation. Accessed February 2016.
- "IHF | the International Handball Federation – Timeline of Milestones".
- (September 2007). "Bylaws". International Handball Federation.
- (19 January 2018). "IHF statement related to Pan-American continent". IHF.
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