Russia men's national handball team

The Russia national handball team (Russian: Сборная России по гандболу, romanized: Sbornaya Rossii po gandbolu) is controlled by the Handball Federation of Russia. Russia is designates by IHF and EHF.

It has historically been considered one of the strongest national teams in the world, winning both the World Championship, European Championship and gold at the Olympic Games.

Handball in Russia as one of the sports games appeared approx. in 1909. In the first period of its development the handball in Russia had two forms, 11 players form and 7 players form. In 1955 was set up the All-Union section (federation) of handball. By early 60s was finally approved a single form of handball game – 7 players form.^[1]

The Russian national team was established after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, when the Soviet Union men's national handball team was discontinued. The Handball Federation of Russia became the legal successor to the Soviet Union.^[2][3]

The first major international tournament that Russia participated in was the 1993 World Men's Handball Championship, which they won.^[4] During the 1990's they became one of the best teams in the world, competing for that title with Sweden's 'Bengan Boys'. Russia won the 1996 European Men's Handball Championship and the handball tournament at the 2000 Olympics.^[5][6]

Russia's early success would not continue, however. During the 2000's and 2010's they did not reach a final again, although they did win bronze medals at the 2004 Olympics.^[7] The culmination came at the 2011 World Men's Handball Championship, where Russia missed qualification for the first time ever (as either Russia or the Soviet Union). At their next major international tournament, the 2012 European Championship, they were knocked out in the preliminary round with a disappointing 15th place, leading to the firing of legendary coach Vladimir Maximov.^[8]

At the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship Russia could not compete under their own flag as the World Anti-Doping Agency had on 9 December 2019 banned Russia from all international sports, after the Russian government was found to have tampered with laboratory data that it provided to WADA in January 2019 as a condition of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency being reinstated.^[9][10][11] Therefore they competed as a neutral team under the name "Russian Handball Federation Team".^[12][13]

In reaction to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Handball Federation banned Russian athletes, and the European Handball Federation suspended all Russian clubs and the national team from competing in European handball competitions.^[14]

This is the list of players named for the friendly tournament in January, 2026.

• Andrey Lavrov
• Talant Dujshebaev
• Pavel Sukosyan
• Vyacheslav Gorpishin
• Eduard Koksharov
• Vasily Kudinov
• Dmitry Filippov
• Denis Krivoshlykov
• Serguei Pogorelov
• Dmitri Torgovanov
• Aleksandr Tuchkin
• Stanislav Kulinchenko
• Valeri Gopin
• Oleg Kisselev
• Alexey Kamanin
• Alexey Kostygov
• Alexander Chernoivanov
• Vitali Ivanov
• Vasily Filippov
• Lev Voronin
• Vyacheslav Atavin
• Oleg Grebnev
• Pavel Bashkin

• Official website
• IHF profile