Derby to host Great Britain’s ‘biggest game in a decade’ as handball makes long awaited return

Great Britain are back on home soil for a historic encounter with Kosovo at the Derby Arena on January 13th, a key playoff game as the squad chases European qualification.

With all eyes on the fixture bringing the sport home to English crowds for a first time in over a decade, England Handball are ensuring the moment doesn’t pass by without positive impact in the local community – Derby will see a first ever handball club set up in the local area as part of the legacy to ensure more people can get involved in the sport for a first time.

Ben Howard, right winger for Great Britain, is calling on a Derby crowd to come and see the sport for a first time and roar the team on to what he hopes will be a historic victory to celebrate the sport’s renaissance. Ben said:

“People will see a lot of goals, a lot of physicality, a lot of contact - these are all the things you'd expect to see in a game. You will typically have 50 or 60 goals in a game, a lot of individual battles, mental battles with goalkeepers. It’s a fast moving, fast-paced game which is captivating to watch.

“I'm personally really looking forward to being able to play somewhere so close to my front door. I've never had the chance to have a game like this before in my life, and I may not do again. I'm just going to relish every moment of it. I hope to see people really drawn in, enjoying watching the sport and getting sucked into the passion of it all. All the guys on court, absolutely love what they do, and I think you'll see that when you come and watch.

“When we’ve had representation in the Olympics, a lot of people really seem to fall in love with the sport, because it's a naturally attractive sport to watch, so I hope that a lot of people fall in love with the sport again in Derby. When you’re able to watch top class handball on your doorstep, people can absolutely aspire to be like the guys on court – it’s a sport for everyone.”

Ben’s words reflect the remarkable journey the sport is on, with the Kosovo game signifying a significant milestone for British handball - following the 2012 Olympics, there were no youth GB teams.

However, there are now full squads in all age groups, including both men's and women's teams—all self-sustaining.

Head Coach of the GB Men’s Team, Ricardo Vasconcelos, promises a Derby crowd a chance to see the remarkable progress the team has made, as GB seek to make even more history. He reflected:

“Our game against Kosovo is huge, it's historical for us because it's the first time we've ever achieved this stage of the competition. This is evidence of the work we've done, what we've managed to achieve over the last few years. It's an opportunity to showcase our development to fans, it’s an opportunity to get the handball family together and to hopefully Inspire the new generations to be handball players.

“We see it as a big turning point for us, having a game like this hosted in England allows young people to watch, be inspired and understand what they could achieve getting involved in the sport. The crowd will be so important for us, we want a positive result and to make history as a team as we bring handball back to England.”

To watch Handball’s return to England at the Derby Arena, visit https://englandhandball.com/ for more information.