The Portugal men's national handball team is governed by the Portuguese Handball Federation and represents Portugal in international men's handball matches. They have appeared six times in the World Championship, reaching an all-time best fourth place in 2025, and nine times in the European Championship, with a fifth place in 2026 as their best result. The team participated for the first time in the Olympic handball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, finishing in ninth place.
Competitive record Portugal has competed six times at the World Championship (1997, 2001, 2003, 2021, 2023, 2025) and eight times at the European Championship (1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2020, 2022, 2024). They qualified automatically for the final tournaments of the World Championship in 2003 and of the inaugural European Championship in 1994 as the host team. Their best results are a fourth place at the World Championship in 2025, and a 5th place at the European Championship in 2026.
Legend Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Red-colored border indicates that tournament was held on home soil.
Olympic Games YearRoundPosition 1936 BerlinDid not qualifyNot held from 1948 to 1968 1972 MunichDid not qualify 1976 Montreal 1980 Moscow 1984 Los Angeles 1988 Seoul 1992 Barcelona 1996 Atlanta 2000 Sydney 2004 Athens 2008 Beijing 2012 London 2016 Rio de Janeiro 2020 TokyoPreliminary round95104143156 2024 ParisDid not qualify 2028 Los AngelesTo be determined 2032 BrisbaneTotal1/15–5104143156
World Championship World Championship recordYearRoundPosition 1938 Did not qualify 1954 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1993 1995 1997Preliminary round195104119123 1999 Did not qualify 2001Round of 16166204140145 2003Second round127403219182 2005 Did not qualify 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017/ 2019 2021Main round106402168152/ 2023136312178157// 2025Semi-finals49612301274 2027Qualified/ 2029To be determined// 2031Total7/32–392021711251033
European Championship YearRoundPosition 1994 Preliminary round126006117154 1996 Did not qualify 1998 2000Preliminary round76303153160 2002 Second round97304173174 2004Preliminary round14301291101 2006Preliminary round1530038096 2008 Did not qualify 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018// 20205th/6th place match68404228220/ 2022Preliminary round1930038591 2024Main round77412224223// 20265th/6th place match58422274267// 2028 Qualified as co-host 2030 2032Total9/20–511842914251486
Team Current squad Squad for the 2026 European Men's Handball Championship.
Head coach: Paulo Pereira
Notable former coaches Mircea Costache Mats Olsson Aleksander Donner
Player statistics
+ Most appearances Name Matches Years 250 OB, CB 1992-2006 216 P 1990–2011 204 W 181 OB 2006- 155 W 1994−2008 152 GK 136 P 93 CB 2003-2020
+ Top Scorers Name Goals Average Years 1444 5.78 OB, CB 1992-2006 528 3.41 W 1994−2008 453+ W 355 P 300+ P 1990–2011
References
External links
IHF profile