All You Need to Know About Handball Courts: Measurements, Types, and Rules for Dominating the Game
Can you name a sport with game-posts? If handball comes to mind, this blog post has all the necessary information.
Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, getting a grip on the dimensions and rules of the handball court is key to improving your game. The playing area’s size, surface type, and line markings impact your playing style, tactics, and athletic performance.
Standard court dimensions are necessary to maintain consistent rules across leagues like the Bundesliga, EHF Championships, and Olympics. For instance, an international handball field spans 40m x 20m with a smooth wooden or synthetic floor for fluid gameplay. Professional leagues often use slightly smaller courts but regulate dimensions within each league for fair matches.
Court type also affects the pace and style of the sport. Slick indoor floors quicken the game’s tempo, demanding different tactics than outdoor sand or grass courts. The increased traction of outdoor surfaces slows gameplay while enabling more forceful shots and sharp cuts. Understanding how court type impacts the sport allows players to tailor their athletic approach.
Standard court dimensions are necessary to maintain consistent rules across leagues like the Bundesliga, EHF Championships, and Olympics. For instance, an international handball field spans 40m x 20m with a smooth wooden or synthetic floor for fluid gameplay. Professional leagues often use slightly smaller courts but regulate dimensions within each league for fair matches.
To help you understand the basics of court further, this blog post explains handball court dimensions and their rules to help you dominate the scoreboard.
What is a Handball?
Handball is a fast-paced indoor/outdoor team sport. The objective is to score goals by throwing the ball past the opposing team’s goalkeeper into a netted/boarded goal at either end of the playing court. Each team has six court players and one goalkeeper per side during gameplay.
The origins of modern handball can be traced to 19th-century Denmark, Germany, and Sweden from earlier ball games. Its roots lie in traditional outdoor team sports like házená in the Czech Republic. However, the standardised handball we know emerged in 1919 from the efforts of German sports teacher Karl Schelenz.
Today, handball enjoys enormous popularity in European countries like Denmark, France, Germany, and Spain and is widely regarded as the second most popular sport after soccer. Top handball-playing nations regularly compete through leagues like the EHF Champions League and mega events like the Summer Olympics and Men’s and Women’s World Championships organised by the International Handball Federation.
With its vast global participation and viewership figures, fast tempo, athletic moves, intense physicality, and ever-evolving tactics, handball holds an important place in modern sporting culture.
Types of Handball Courts
Handball courts are of two types — indoor and outdoor, each with unique characteristics.
1. Indoor Handball Courts
Indoor handball courts have wooden or synthetic surfaces measuring 40m x 20m per international standards. The flooring provides smooth, high-speed play with true ball bounce. Walls or appropriate netting surrounds the court to keep the ball in play. Lighting is bright and uniform for optimal visibility. Popular floorings used include wooden parquet, PVC, and linoleum.
Here are some advantages of indoor courts:
- More stable and consistent playing surface
- The match can continue no despite extreme weather conditions
- Easier for goalkeepers to dive and jump
Below are the disadvantages of indoor courts:
- Less opportunity to develop balance, coordination, and proprioception
- Players may feel confined and lack creative freedom
- Increased risk of ankle, knee, and other joint injuries
2. Outdoor Handball Courts
Outdoor handball is played in various formats on different surface types. Two main outdoor court variants are beach handball and field handball. Besides these, there are mini handball courts for kids.
- Beach Handball Courts
Beach handball is played on a sand surface, with the court dimensions measuring 27m x 12m (15m x 12m playing area). The goals are smaller than indoor handball at 2m high x 3m wide. The sand depth is at least 40 cm. Boundary lines use flexible tape anchored into the sand for safety. Substitution areas are situated along the sides of the playing area.
- Field Handball Courts
Field handball utilises 40m x 20m dimensions. The surface is typically grass or artificial turf. All other court markings and goal specifications match those used in indoor handball.
- Mini Handball Courts
Mini handball is a modified version for children ages 8–11. The handball court measurement is reduced to 20–24m, in terms of the length of the handball court and 12–16m wide. A rubber ball with a 44–49 cm circumference ensures safety and playability for kids.
Here are some advantages of outdoor courts:
- Develops players’ balance, jumping power, and coordination
- Allows spectacular shots like spin shots and in-flight goals
- Promotes injury prevention and rehabilitation in softer sand
- Provides relaxation, fun, and a change of scenery
Here are the disadvantages of outdoor courts:
- More physically demanding on players due to the quality of the sand
- It is more challenging for goalkeepers to jump and dive effectively
- Requires greater anticipatory skills to make saves
- The match ceases if the weather conditions are extreme
Here is a table outlining the key differences between indoor and outdoor handball courts’ dimensions and other features:
What are the Standard Handball Court Measurements in Meters?
The International Handball Federation (IHF) defines precise specifications for handball court measurements in meters in official tournaments and matches worldwide.
1. Length: The standard length of a handball court is 40 meters. Significant events like the Olympics and World Championships adhere to the 40m dimension, allowing dynamic end-to-end action.
2. Width: The regulation width for international handball courts is 20 meters. This spacing between the sidelines optimises back-and-forth team tactics.
3. Height: The standard height of a handball court is 10–12 meters.
Here is a handball ground diagram for more clarification on handball ground size in meters:
Handball Size
Beyond the handball court size, the ball completes the sport’s key ingredients. Handballs meet exact size and material specifications to enable fair contests globally, as per the International Handball Federation (IHF).
Regulation balls use leather or synthetic covers for ideal grip. Official dimensions mandate a circumference between 23 and 24 inches, letting most players palm the ball. The size of the ball may vary according to the tournament.
This calibrated roundness and heft promotes flowing gameplay. Skilled players wield the ball almost as an extension of their arm. The proportions enable accurate passing to teammates and shooting through small net targets, even on power throws. Control dribbling also showcases the athlete’s talent.
Multiple identical handballs cycle through during games to maintain a constant, unifying trait between teams. Just like standardised courts, unified equipment underscores handball’s values of fairness and pure skill-determining outcomes.
So next time you catch a highlight reel, notice how the ball’s size makes the pace possible. When players command the sphere easily, their talent shines while the equipment fades into the background. That’s how great design works.
International vs. National Competitions
As outlined above, the IHF standardised handball court measurements in meters used in top-tier international matches and tournaments is 40m x 20m. The 40m x 20m dimension is mandatory for events like the Summer Olympics, World Championships, and Continental Championships.
However, slight variations in the dimensions of handball courts exist between professional handball leagues and national governing bodies. For instance, the standard court dimension mandated by the European Handball Federation (EHF) for the VELUX EHF Champions League is only 40m x 20m. But permitted sizes can range from 34–40 m in length and 16–20 m in width. Therefore, a degree of flexibility applies to national leagues. However, international events strictly adhere to the 40m x 20m specifications of the IHF sets.
Measurements of Handball Court Areas
A handball court has markings that divide it into different areas. Understanding these areas helps explain how the game works. There are two main zones — the goal area and the penalty area.
1. Goal Area
The goal area is a semi-circle measuring 6 meters from the goal line onto the court. Only attacking players can enter this area during regular play. It gives them a scoring advantage by letting them get closer to shoots.
Goalkeepers can also move around and use their hands freely in the goal area to defend the net. Their job gets more challenging when opponents enter the zone for a quick shot. So, the 6-meter goal area creates an action-packed struggle. The attackers penetrate it to gain a better shooting angle while goalies attempt to protect the zone.
2. Penalty Area
The penalty area is a bigger rectangle extending 13 meters from the goal line. During normal play, all players can move inside this region. The main purpose of the penalty area is for penalty shots after serious fouls. The shooter stands at a marked spot inside the zone for a 1-on-1 duel with the goalkeeper.
Defenders work to block normal shots from the penalty area and keep opponents away. But penalties from this hotspot give elite shooters a great chance to score. So, while the penalty zone includes more space to manoeuvre, it also presents risks and opportunities for goal-scoring.
The ABCs of Centre, Side, and Free-throw Lines in Handball Court
Handball is a game that depends on boundaries to shape the action. From middle dividends to side confines to free-throw guides, painted lines impose order. Understanding their role is crucial for players.
1. Centre Line
The centre line splits the length of the court in half. This crucial marker shows where each team’s territory begins, separating attacking ambition from defensive duties. This line extends from one side of the court to the other, perpendicular to the sidelines. The centre line is also known as the half-court line or mid-court line.
It is a focal point for initiating play, as throw-offs at the beginning of each half and after goals are taken from the centre. Throughout the game, players must adhere to rules regarding their positioning in relation to the centre line. The centre line also plays a role in enforcing the offside rule. It prevents players from crossing into the opponent’s half.
2. Goal Line
The goal lines are the boundaries at each end of the playing court and the shorter boundaries of the rectangular court.
The goal lines are crucial in determining whether a goal is scored. To score a goal in handball, the entire ball must completely cross the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar. A goal is awarded to the attacking team if the ball crosses the goal line within these parameters.
2. Side Lines
The sidelines refer to the boundaries that run along the length of the playing court. These lines determine the limits of the playing area.
Players must stay within the court boundaries while playing, and if the ball goes out of bounds over the sidelines, it results in a turnover or a throw-in, depending on which team touched the ball last. The sidelines and the goal lines at each end of the court define the playing area in handball.
3. Free-Throw Lines
When players are fouled inside the 9-meter (approximately 29.5 feet) area, they are awarded a free throw from the 7-meter line. The player taking the free throw must release the ball from behind this line, and the defending players must stand at least 3 meters (about 9.8 feet) away from the player taking the shot.
The purpose of the free throw is to allow the attacking team to score after a defensive foul. It is an important element of the game and often requires skill and precision from the player taking the free throw to score against the opposing goalkeeper.
Why is it Important to Follow Court Markings?
The lines marked on a handball court serve a vital purpose. They ensure gameplay is fair, structured, and strategic for both teams.
1. Preventing Unfair Positional Advantages
Lines like the six-meter goal area prevent offensive players from getting overly close to the goalkeeper. The line gives goalies room to manoeuvre and organise defensive formations. Similarly, substitution zones guide where player changes happen, avoiding team imbalances.
2. Standardising Crucial Distances
Markings like the nine-meter free throw line ensure a consistent range for all shots after fouls and infractions. This uniformity also applies to seven-meter penalty shot distances. Consistent distances make outcomes more about skill over pure chance.
3. Structuring Gameplay and Strategy
The centre line divides the whole court lengthwise into two halves, indicating where attacking and defending start. Similarly, the positions of sidelines influence everything from passing angles on offensive to defensive confinement approaches. Even free-throw line parallel positioning sets up structured gameplay around the zone.
In short, the boundaries guide players to master both physical execution and mental in-game adaptability. Skilled utilisation of these spaces and respect for their fairness create engrossing contests where the better team wins. The lines make the game and must be followed. These markings establish integrity. They ultimately enable the purity of competition that handball aspires to.
Understanding the Handball Court
Learning the court is step one to excel in handball. The lines and sizes create a field of play that enables both strategy and fair contests at all levels.
Handball courts are usually wooden floors indoors or varied surfaces like grass or sand outdoors. The International Handball Federation standardises a 40m x 20m court for major tournaments. This size, seen on TV worldwide, allows dynamic end-to-end action.
Within the full court, two boxes play big roles. The 6-meter goal area lets attackers get close to shooting near the net. Goalkeepers get flexible movement here, too, to defend. Just outside, the bigger 9-meter penalty area holds immense importance for players. Both zones become high-action hotspots with chances of winning or losing.
The lines themselves serve clear purposes, too. The centre line at midcourt indicates where each half starts. During restarts, players must wait behind it for fair challenges at throw-offs. On the sides, those lines indicate the main playing area. Other parallel dashes near the goal set consistent free throw ranges after fouls or force keepers to stay back for penalties.
Understanding court sizes and lines provides players context. Consistent dimensions mean your skills directly translate anywhere. Zones enable tactics while lines enforce standards so the better-prepared team succeeds. The foundations stay the same whether you play indoors or on the beach. Respect the court and its rules — then rise within those fair frameworks.
With courts worldwide following unified designs, no barriers exist to fuel your handball journey. If you want to know more and test your skills in handball, visit SFA Play today and register for their championships.
