A handball match at senior level normally lasts for a total of 60 minutes of effective playing time, divided into two halves of 30 minutes each with a half-time break of approximately 10 minutes. In youth handball, the playing time is shorter, but follows the same basic structure with two equal halves and a break in between.
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HOW LONG IS A HALF IN HANDBALL
In international senior handball, according to International Handball Federation (IHF) guidelines, matches are played over two 30-minute halves when players are aged 16 or over. Between halves there is usually a 10-minute half-time break, while major championships may sometimes use a slightly longer break without changing the playing time of the halves.
For youth teams, the length of a half is adapted according to age, often 25 minutes for players around 12-15 years old and 20 minutes for the youngest age groups around 8-11 years old. Despite variations in minutes per half, the principle of dividing the match into two equal parts with a set break in between is maintained, creating a clear structure for players, coaches and spectators.
WHICH PLAYERS THE CONCEPT CONCERNS
The question "how long is a handball match" is most relevant for players, coaches, referees and competition organisers who need to plan training, tactics and tournament schedules. Sports enthusiasts, broadcasters and stadium organisers also use knowledge of the length of the match to plan broadcasting times, ticketing and pre and post-match activities.
Audiences and players at different levels, from youth to elite, are affected by how the playing time is regulated, as the pace of handball is high and the load over 60 minutes requires good physical preparation. For the betting and gaming market, match length is also a basic parameter, as statistics and odds are often based on 2×30 minutes of effective playing time.
WHAT DOES THE MATCH LENGTH MEAN IN PRACTICE
The concept of match duration in handball includes not only the two halves, but also the half-time break, any team timeouts and possible extra time when a winner must be declared. The Laws of the Game specify how the match clock is handled, when play is stopped and resumed, and how referees and timekeepers ensure that full playing time is completed.
In tournaments where draws are not allowed in knockout matches, 'how long is a handball match' is often considered as the sum of regular time plus any overtime periods and, ultimately, penalty shoot-outs. This makes the concept central to the teams' tactics, such as how much energy to save if a possible overtime is pending.
HOW BIG IS A HANDBALL COURT
According to international rules, a standardised indoor court for team handball should be 40 metres long and 20 metres wide, giving a playing area of around 800 square metres. These dimensions are used in elite and national team contexts and also serve as the norm for most national series and major youth tournaments.
The goals are 3 metres wide and 2 metres high, and in front of each goal there is a scoring area marked by a 6-metre line, a 9-metre free-throw line and a 7-metre free-throw line. The size of the court and the positioning of the lines affect the nature of the game, including how quickly teams can switch between offence and defence and how space is used by different playing positions.
OVERTIME IN HANDBALL
When a knockout match ends in a draw after the regular 2×30 minutes, extra time is used according to international guidelines, usually in the form of two 5-minute periods with a short break in between. If the score is still tied, a second overtime period with two new 5-minute periods can be played, defining a potentially longer total time than the original 60 minutes.
If a winner is still required, the match is decided by penalty throws (often 7-metre throws) in which a number of players from each team take turns to shoot until one team has scored more goals. This structure means that in practice the concept of match length can vary from 60 minutes up to significantly longer in dramatic playoff scenarios.
HANDBALL FACTS ABOUT PLAYING TIME AND LEVELS
At senior level (around 16 years and above), the standard is 2×30 minutes, while older youth teams often play 2×25 minutes and younger teams 2×20 minutes, with similar breaks around 10 minutes. Some tournaments use shorter games, such as 2×12 or 2×15 minutes, to accommodate more games per day, without changing the rules otherwise.
Handball is mainly played indoors on a full-size court, but there are variants such as beach handball with shorter playing time and different scoring systems, which means that the length of the match is not directly comparable to traditional indoor handball. Despite such variations, the 60-minute match with two 30-minute halves serves as a reference point for how the sport is presented in rulebooks, statistics and TV graphics.
THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE TERM IS USED
The question of the length of a handball match often arises when new players, parents or spectators are introduced to the sport and want to understand how a match night is planned in terms of time. Organisers of cups, school tournaments and corporate events also need to know the length of matches in order to plan match schedules, hall bookings and break programmes.
At the media and statistical level, standardised match length is used to compare goal production, workload and pace between different teams, leagues and eras. As international rules have been harmonised, the concept is relatively stable, facilitating comparisons over time and between nations.
PRACTICAL
In practice, 60 minutes of handball means that a whole match night, including warm-up, presentation and break, often takes around one and a half to two hours for spectators and participants. Coaches plan substitutions and tactical adjustments based on the fact that the game is intense for the full 2×30 minutes, with short breaks for timeouts, penalties and refereeing.
For fans following several matches on the same day, for example in a tournament or via TV broadcasts, the relatively fixed length of matches makes it easy to estimate how many matches can be played in an afternoon or evening. Those wishing to delve further into the rules on playing time, pitch dimensions and extra time can find more information in international regulations and summaries, for example on the online handball reference and rules pages.
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