Beach handball

Beach handball is a variation of handball, which is played on the beach, or on sand. The players are usually barefoot. Two teams with four players each compete. A match has two rounds, which each last ten minutes.

Boys playing beach handball, 2018 Summer Youth Olympics

Women playing beach handball, 2019

How to play

Matches are played as best two-out-of-three times. If teams are tied at the end of a normal game then the teams play for a golden goal. If the teams are tied at the end of 2 games then the teams will be part in a tie breaker. The tie break involves a goalie throwing the ball to their own player while that player tries to score one-on-one with the other goalie.

Issues

In 2021, the Norwegian women's team were fined €1500 because they were improperly dressed: At a European championship match in Bulgaria they had worn bike-shorts (like the men), instead of bikini bottoms. Critics laughed about the fine and the underlying rule. Although the Norwegian Handball Federation announced they would pay the fines, pop singer Pink offered to pay for them. In November 2021, the International Handball Federation changed their dress rules to closely match the shorts that the Norwegian team were fined for wearing.