Handball is a team sport, the main goal of which is to throw as many balls as possible into the opponent’s goal. In contrast to soccer, the ball is played with the hands. Each match consists of two halves of 30 minutes, with a break between halves of 15 minutes.

The birthplace of handball is considered to be Denmark, although mentions of old ball games with hands are in the “Odyssey” by Homer and in the writings of the Roman physician Galen. Handball in its current form was invented by Danish players at the turn of XIX-XX centuries as a substitute for soccer to play in the winter.

Date of origin of the ball game, registered in the international sports classification under the name “handball”, is accepted as 1898, when Holger Nielsen, physical education teacher at the real school in the Danish city of Ordrup, introduced a ball game called “handball” in the physical education classes for female groups.

General rules of handball:
A handball team consists of 16 people, of which no more than 7 players can be on the court at the same time, the rest are substitutes.
Matches of adult teams consist of two halves of 30 minutes with a 15 minute break.
The match begins with the introduction of the ball into the center of the field. Players may safely touch the ball with any part of their body except their feet. Make sure the player is more than 3 meters away before making the pass.
Each player may only hold the ball for three seconds before making a pass or throwing it into the opponent’s goal. At the same time you can take no more than 3 steps with the ball in your hands, then you have to throw it to someone else.
Only the goalkeeper is allowed in the goal area. A field player is considered to have stepped into the goal area, which includes the goal area line, if he touches it with any part of his body. However, this is not penalized if a player enters the goal area after passing the ball and this does not result in a loss of advantage for the opponent, or if a player of either team enters the goal area without the ball and does not gain an advantage from it.
Substitutions may be made an unlimited number of times. A substitute member of the team may enter the field of play only after the substitute has left the rink.
If the transfer of the ball from the defensive zone to the offensive zone is delayed, then it is called passive play. The team is penalized with a free throw from where the ball was at the time of the pause.
In addition, handball rules allow:
Use hands to block and gain possession of the ball. Use open palms to knock the ball off an opponent’s hands. To block an opponent’s body.
Touching the opponent’s hands from the front side to obstruct the opponent’s action.

Prohibited:
Snatching the ball from the opponent’s hands.
Blocking or pushing away an opponent with your feet and hands.
Perform any physical action on an opponent that may endanger him/her.
Touching an opponent with your hands from the front side of your body to obstruct.
Handball court
The size of a standard handball court is 40 by 20 meters. Around the court there should be a safety area of at least 1 meter along the side lines and at least 2 meters behind the goal line. All lines are part of the areas they bound.