Handball and football are two sports played in different ways. Football is a popular sport that is played with the help of legs (foot). Handball is a great team sport played with the help of hands. There are many differences between football and handball. Both the sports differ in the case of ball size, rules, and the number of team members.
Both games require the teams to pass the ball to make goals for winning the match. The popularity of football is higher than handball in some places.
Football vs Handball
The main difference between football and handball is that football has eleven players in one team. On the other hand, handball has seven players in one team. The media coverage of handball is weaker than football. Football is an older sport than handball.
Football was introduced in 1863. The popularity of football in Olympic events is very high. The players use their feet to kick the ball for passing a goal. There are many techniques involved in football, and the rules of football are different from other sports.
Handball was introduced in 1910. In handball, there are two teams with seven members each. Each team gets points after passing a goal. To pass the goal, the team members should use their hands to pass, bounce or throw the ball. A leather (or synthetic) ball is used for playing handball. The ball size used in handball is smaller than the ball used in football.
Comparison Table Between Football and Handball
What is Football?
Football is a professional game played by players with the help of a round-shaped leather ball. In the game, the players used their feet to play the game. The players can’t use their hands to play football. The game of football has its own rules and regulations that every player must follow. In football, eleven members are involved in one team. In one match, two teams can play against each other.
Generally, the team with the highest goals wins the game. The players are supposed to make goals in the opponent team area. Football is played in Olympics events, and the fanbase of football is huge. The game length of football is 90 minutes which is played in two halves. In many places, football is recognized as soccer.
Football is played in colleges, schools, universities, and the Olympics. In many places, professional football tournaments are organized to allow the audience to enjoy a live football match. The ball used in colleges and Olympic tournaments may vary. Football is for youngsters or adults as it requires energy and stamina.
Football is a popular sport worldwide and is played in more than 200 countries. In football matches, the players are provided with a 15 minutes rest period between the two innings. In every match, two goalkeepers try to prevent the opponent teams from making goals. Learning football is easy as it requires basic knowledge and physical strength.
What is Handball?
Handball is a sport played with the help of a spherical ball. The players of handball sports require skills and hand strength. Learning a handball game is a tough task as the game is complicated. The techniques and rules of the handball game are difficult to learn. In each team, seven members are included.
The team focuses on preventing the goal of the opponent team and making a goal for their teams. The time length of handball is 60 minutes for both teams. The players can hit or pass the ball while playing the game. The most important rule is that no player should touch the ball with any body part below the knees.
In simple terms, your upper body should get involved while playing the game handball. There are two goalkeepers present in the game by both teams. The goalkeeper may use legs (or feet) to kick the ball. The game handball requires fast-paced actions and instant movement. The popularity of handball is high in Olympic events.
The jerseys of handball players are designed to be lightweight and have short sleeves. The teams could be recognized with the help of their jersey color. The jersey color of the goalkeepers in the handball game is different from the rest of the team members. Handball is a perfect combination of many popular games such as hockey, football, and basketball.
Main Differences Between Football and Handball
- Football has 11 members in each team, whereas handball has seven members in each team.
- Football was introduced in 1863, whereas handball was introduced in 1910.
- Football is played with a round-shaped ball, while handball is played with a spherical ball.
- The players in football use their feet to kick, pass or hit the ball. On the other hand, the players in handball use their hands (upper body) to hit or pass the ball.
- The popularity of football is higher than handball in Olympic events and worldwide.
Conclusion
Football and handball are two different sports that require instant reaction and fast movements. There are a few similarities between football and handball that confuse people. The fan base of football is more than handball. Handball is tougher than football. The players can learn football in a few days, but learning handball takes time.
The number of players involved in football is more than handball. The rules and regulations of football and handball are different. Handball is introduced by taking reference from many other sports. On the other hand, football is not inspired by any other sport.
References
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9780470670590.wbeog213
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/28.suppl_5.s-29