Croatia, Germany lead beach handball national rankings
Croatia remain on top of the men’s beach handball national ranking in 2024, while Germany are the new leaders on the women’s side. The official rankings take into account all major national team events – both on senior and YAC level – over the past three years.
Croatia’s men won the 2021 IHF Beach Handball World Championship and their youth team added the under-18 world title in 2022, while the nation racked up several more strong results at the nine events in total in 2021, 2022 and 2023 that count towards the ranking.
Leading with 788 points, Croatia are just 16 points ahead of runners-up Spain, who defended their second position in the men’s nations ranking. Third-placed Hungary, who won the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2023, and fourth-ranked Germany both improved one spot, while Denmark dropped from third to fifth.
Formerly in 12th place, Portugal – hosts and semi-finalists of the EURO in 2023 – impressed by winning six places and storming into the top 10.
On the women’s side, a stunning winning run from their senior team that included the European championships in 2021 and 2023 an the world title in 2022 saw Germany gain two places and overtake previous leaders Spain to go top of the nations ranking.
Germany have 852 points, a mere 12 points more than Spain, who had one tournament victory in the past three years, when the under-18 team clinched gold at their world championship in 2022.
The Netherlands, who lost the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2023 final to Germany in May but saw their YAC 17 team clinch the European title two months later, improved to third position. Previously second-ranked Hungary dropped out of the top three and are now in fourth.
The biggest climbers in the top 10 are Norway, who gained five spots and are ranked fifth.
