Five free handball tools covering score tracking, shot efficiency, calorie burn, positions, and fast break statistics. Covers indoor (field) handball — the Olympic format.
Handball basics
Indoor handball is played 7-a-side (6 outfield players plus a goalkeeper) on a 40m × 20m court. Goals are 3m × 2m. Players can take three steps with the ball or hold it for 3 seconds before shooting, passing, or dribbling. A 6-metre exclusion zone (the crease) around each goal may only be entered by the goalkeeper — attacking players can jump into the zone to shoot but must release before landing. The shot clock gives each team 45 seconds to attempt a shot.
Games consist of two 30-minute halves. Scoring rates are high — elite games typically end 25–35 combined goals. A goalkeeper save rate of 30–35% is considered excellent at international level.
All handball tools
5Handball Score Tracker
Track a handball match score with two-half timing and goal counters.
Open toolHandball Shot Efficiency Calculator
Calculate shooting efficiency — goals scored as a percentage of shots taken.
Open toolHandball Calorie Calculator
Estimate calories burned playing handball by intensity and bodyweight.
Open toolHandball Positions Guide
Understand the seven handball positions and their roles in attack and defence.
Open toolHandball Fast Break Success Calculator
Calculate fast break conversion rate — a key attacking metric in modern handball.
Open toolFrequently asked questions
What are the positions in handball?
7 players per side: 1 goalkeeper (GK), 2 wing players (left and right wing — fast players who attack from the sides and score from tight angles), 2 backcourt players (left and right back — powerful players who shoot from distance), 1 centre back (playmaker, organises attacks), and 1 pivot (centre forward, plays with back to goal in the 6-metre line area). Substitutions are unlimited and rolling throughout the match.
How long is a handball match?
A standard handball match consists of two 30-minute halves with a 10-15 minute half-time interval — 60 minutes of playing time total. If a match is drawn in a knockout competition, two periods of 5 minutes extra time are played; if still level, a 7-metre shoot-out (equivalent to a penalty shootout) decides the winner. The clock stops only for time-outs (each team gets one per half) and referee stoppages.
What countries are best at handball?
European countries dominate international handball. The strongest men's nations are France (most Olympic gold medals), Denmark, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Norway. Women's handball is dominated by Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and France. South Korea has been a strong women's handball nation historically. Outside Europe, Egypt and Brazil have competitive men's programmes. Handball is far less established in the UK and North America than in continental Europe.