France — Handball

France is the most successful nation in the history of men's handball, with an unparalleled record of six World Championship titles and three Olympic gold medals. The Starligue, known as the Starligue, features 102 clubs across 6 competitions and is one of the strongest club leagues in the world.

Known as 'Les Experts', the French national team dominated international handball for two decades. The domestic league attracts top international talent and serves as a world-class development environment for French players who go on to star in clubs across Europe.

Handball was introduced to France in the 1920s, initially as field handball. The French Handball Federation was founded in 1941. The indoor game grew steadily through the post-war decades, but France's rise to global dominance came in the 1990s.

The 1995 World Championship victory in Iceland launched an extraordinary era. Under coaches Daniel Costantini, Claude Onesta, and Guillaume Gille, France won six World Championship titles (1995, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017), three European Championships (2006, 2010, 2014), and three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2020). The generation led by Nikola Karabatic, Thierry Omeyer, and Luc Abalo is regarded as the greatest in handball history.

The French Handball Federation (Federation Francaise de Handball, FFHB) is the governing body for handball in France. Founded in 1941, it is a member of the EHF and IHF, and oversees one of the largest handball communities in the world with over 500,000 registered players.

The Starligue is the top division of men's handball in France and one of the premier club competitions globally. The Coupe de France provides additional knockout competition. French clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain Handball, Montpellier HB, and Nantes have been major forces in European club competitions.

France holds the most decorated record in men's handball history. The national team has won six World Championship titles (1995, 2001, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017), three European Championships (2006, 2010, 2014), and three Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2020). Nikola Karabatic, a three-time World Player of the Year, is widely considered the greatest handball player of all time. France's women's team has also achieved success, winning the World Championship in 2003 and Olympic silver in 2016.