IHF

IHF, short for International Handball Federation, is the international governing body for the sports of handball and beach handball. It was founded in 1946 in Basel, Switzerland, and unites national handball associations to coordinate the sport’s rules, competitions, and development worldwide.

Headquartered in Basel, the IHF is led by a president and a council elected by its member federations. The organization delegates day-to-day operations to various commissions and management teams that oversee rule development, coaching, refereeing, and development programs. Member associations span all inhabited continents, reflecting the sport’s global reach.

IHF organizes the world championships for men and women, as well as youth and junior events, and conducts the world championships for beach handball. It also supervises the handball competition program at the Olympic Games in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee and sets the official competition formats and regulations used worldwide.

Beyond elite events, the IHF runs development initiatives to grow participation at amateur levels, supports refereeing education, and provides governance and technical resources to national federations. Through these activities the IHF aims to increase accessibility, safety, and quality of play.