Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men's handball)

The Nemzeti Bajnokság I (English: National Championship I, commonly abbreviated NB I) is the premier men's professional handball league in Hungary, administered by the Hungarian Handball Federation. Since 2016 the official name of the championship is K&H Férfi Kézilabda Liga due to sponsorship reasons.

K&H férfi kézilabda liga
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men's handball)
SportHandball
Founded1951; 73 years ago (1951)
No. of teams14
CountryHungary
ConfederationEHF
Most recent
champion(s)
Veszprém KC (28th title)
Most titlesVeszprém KC (28 titles)
TV partner(s)M4 Sport
Relegation toNemzeti Bajnokság I/B
Domestic cup(s)Magyar Kupa
International cup(s)EHF Champions League
EHF European League
Official websitekeziszovetseg.hu

Overview

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Running since 1951, the Hungarian championship is among the strongests in Europe. Veszprém KC have won the EHF Cup Winners' Cup in 2008 and have reached the semi-final of the EHF Champions League three times in the last nine seasons, capturing a silver medal in 2002. Main domestic rivals SC Pick Szeged are also regular members of the Champions League.

Famous handball players who have played in the league include Carlos Perez, Zlatko Saračević, Mirza Džomba, Árpád Sterbik, Kiril Lazarov, László Nagy, Dániel Buday, Balázs Laluska, József Éles, Julio Fis, Rolando Uríos, Nenad Peruničić, Vlado Šola, Dejan Perić, Vladimir Hernandez, Gergő Iváncsik and many others.

Currently, it consists of 14 teams. The top four teams after the regular season qualify for the playoffs, where a best-of-three system is used. Teams ranked fifth to ninth and tenth to twelfth decide their final places in a classification round, using a double round robin system, playing six additional rounds. Depending on their final position in the regular season, they are awarded bonus points which are added to the points they earn in the postseason.

According to the EHF league ranking, NB I champions and runners-up receive an automatic spot in the Group phase of the forthcoming Champions League season, while following two clubs enter the EHF Cup. Teams ranked thirteenth and fourteenth get relegated and will be replaced by the winners of the Eastern and Western group of the second division.

Current season

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Teams for season 2023–24

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Team Location Arena Capacity Finished pos.
in last season
Seasons in top
division
Top division
titles
Balatonfüredi KSE Balatonfüred Balaton Szabadidő és Konferencia Központ 712 5th 17 0
Budakalász FKC Budakalász Budakalászi Sportcsarnok 400 10th 8 0
Csurgói KK Csurgó Sótonyi László Sportcsarnok 1200 6th 16 0
Dabas KK Dabas OBO Aréna 1920 9th 7 0
QHB-Eger Eger Kemény Ferenc Sportcsarnok 885 1st (in Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B)   8 0
Ferencvárosi TC Budapest, IX. ker Elek Gyula Aréna 1300 4th 11 0
HE-DO B. Braun Gyöngyös Gyöngyös Dr. Fejes András Sport- és Rendezvénycsarnok 1500 7th 17 0
PLER-Budapest Budapest, XVIII. ker Budapest Airport Aréna 1000 2st (in Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B)   18 0
MOL Tatabánya KC Tatabánya Tatabányai Multifunkcionális Sportcsarnok 6200   51 4
Carbonex-Komló Komló Komló Városi Sportközpont 800 11th 26 0
NEKA Balatonboglár NEKA Sportcsarnok 678 8th 3 0
OTP Bank - Pick Szeged Szeged Pick Aréna 8143   48 5
Fejér B.Á.L. Veszprém Veszprém Március 15. úti Sportcsarnok 2200 12th 4 0
Telekom Veszprém KC Veszprém Veszprém Aréna 5096   43 26

Sponsorship

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The league went through various name changes depending on the sponsor for the given season(s): [citation needed]

  • –2002: No sponsor
  • 2002–2012: Budapest Bank (Budapest Bank Kézilabda Liga)
  • 2012–2016: No sponsor (Nemzeti Bajnokság I - NB I)
  • 2016– : K&H Bank (K&H liga)[1]

Format

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As we can see from the chart the number of teams in the Hungarian First Division changed a lot and continuously. The league started in 1951 with four teams and with the formation of teams the league expanded continuously. Currently, there are 14 teams in the first division.

Title holders

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Performances

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By club

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Club Winners Runners-up Third place Winning years
Veszprém
28
  
12
2
1985, 1986, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024
Bp. Honvéd
14
 
7
4
1952, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983
Szeged
5
20
11
1996, 2007, 2018, 2021, 2022
Bp. Spartacus
5
5
4
1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1973
Vörös Meteor
5
2
2
1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957
Elektromos SE
4
6
4
1969, 1970, 1971, 1991
Tatabánya
4
3
8
1974, 1978, 1979, 1984
Győri ETO
3
3
4
1987, 1989, 1990
Újpest
2
3
1
1953, 1958
Dunaferr
1
4
8
2000
Ferencváros
1
3
3
1956
Debreceni Dózsa
1
1
2
1975
Győri Textiles
-
1
2
-
Csepel
-
1
1
-
Vörös Lobogó
-
-
2
-
Testnevelési Főiskola
-
-
2
-
Balatonfüred
-
-
2
-
Bp. Építők
-
-
1 + (1)
-
Martfűi MSE
-
-
1
-
Vasas
-
-
1
-
Honvéd Szondi SE
-
-
1
-
Csurgó
-
-
1
-

By counties

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The following table lists the Hungarian handball champions by counties of Hungary.

County (megye) Titles Winning clubs
Budapest
29
  Honvéd (14)
  Bp. Spartacus (5)
  Elektromos SE (4)
  Vörös Meteor (4)
  Újpest (2)
Veszprém
28
  Telekom Veszprém (28)
Csongrád-Csanád
5
  Pick Szeged (5)
Komárom-Esztergom
4
  Tatabánya KC (4)
Győr-Moson-Sopron
3
  Győri ETO (3)
Hajdú-Bihar
1
  Debreceni Dózsa (1)
Fejér
1
  Dunaferr (1)
  • The bolded teams are currently playing in the 2022–23 season of the Hungarian League.

Clubs

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Since 1951, clubs have participated in the Hungarian League. The club with the most appearances in the top league is PLER with 58. This record also includes participations of Elektromos SE and Malév SC Pestszenlőrinc, which merged to form PLER. The current NBI team with the most participations is Tatabánya with 54, as of the 2023-24 season. Ferencváros is the team that has participated the most seasons, 43, without ever winning the title.

Statistics

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EHF coefficients

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The following data indicates Hungarian coefficient rankings between European handball leagues.

In European competitions

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Champions League EHF Cup Challenge Cup Cup Winners' Cup (defunct)
C RU SF C RU SF C RU SF C RU SF
  Honvéd 1 1982 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Veszprém 0 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1992, 2008 2 3
  Szeged 0 0 0 1 2014 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
  Győri ETO 0 0 0 1 1986 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  Dunaferr 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
  Tatabánya 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
TOTAL 1 title 4 6 3 title 0 1 0 0 1 2 title 3 8

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "A K&H Bank a női és férfi NB I névadója". keziszovettseg.hu. 5 February 2016. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016.
  2. ^ "2018/19 season ranking" (PDF). European Handball Federation. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Club coefficients". eurotopteam.com. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
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