Wheelchair Handball

Introduction

In 2006 the EHF Methods Commission added wheelchair handball to its responsibilities. A demonstration match was played at the EHF Youth Handball Convention in Vienna that year to start the initiative.

Wheelchair handball is not new, with the sport being popular for men’s, women’s and mixed teams for some time around the world. Over the past 20 years, the sport has grown in Europe and abroad.

The 'Status Wheelchair Handball 2026 Report' summarises the history of wheelchair handball in Europe and documents the current activities and statistics about the European wheelchair handball community (see section ‘documents’ below).

Rules

Wheelchair handball is a fast-paced adaptation of handball for players with disabilities. While in many countries wheelchair handball also has a number of players who do not permanently use a wheelchair, at international level a minimum level of disability is required. To ensure a fair competition among players with different levels of disabilities, a classification system was introduced.

Wheelchair handball can be played in two formats, six-a-side and four-a-side. Traditionally, in Europe the six-a-side version was more popular before the IHF and EHF took the decision to focus on the four-a-side version at international level to increase the sport’s chances of being included in a future Paralympic Games.

Wheelchair Handball (four-a-side) is played in mixed teams with at least one woman on the field at all times. In four-a-side wheelchair handball a match consists of two sets: if both teams win one set (1:1), a third set is played to determine the winner. Wheelchair handball is a very fast and technically advanced game, allowing players to score two-point goals, e.g. by scoring a 360-degree spin shot or from one’s own goalkeeper area. For a better understanding of the sport, the IHF rules of the game and classification manual can be found below.

Tournaments

Since the start of wheelchair handball within the EHF, four Nations’ Tournaments were organised (2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019). These paved the way for the first 2022 World and European Wheelchair Handball Championship (six-a-side) in Leira, Portugal. The IHF co-hosted the event, as the tournament was both the European and world championship. In 2022 and 2024 two world championships were played in Egypt, where two teams represented the European wheelchair handball community.

In 2025, the playing format changed, with the traditional six-a-side version being replaced by the four-a-side championship. With the mixed teams of four players each, the inaugural four-a-side EHF European Wheelchair Handball Championship took place from 26-30 November 2025 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

A record number of nine teams participated in the first-ever EHF Wheelchair Handball EURO, with Portugal being crowned European champions. France finished as runners-up, while Lithuania placed third in their debut tournament in front of their home fans. 

The next European Championship will take place in November 2027.