Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men's handball)

K&H férfi kézilabda liga

Current season, competition or edition: 2020–21 Nemzeti Bajnokság I season
Countries	Hungary
Confederation	EHF
Founded	1951
Number of teams	14
Relegation to	Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B
Level on pyramid	Level 1
Domestic cup(s)	Magyar Kupa
International cup(s)	EHF Champions League EHF Cup
Current champions	MOL-Pick Szeged
Most championships	Veszprém KC (26 titles)
TV partners
Website	http://www.keziszovetseg.hu/

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.

Overview[]

Running since 1951, the Hungarian championship is among the strongests in Europe. MKB 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 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, , 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[]

Teams for season 2020–21[]

Team	Location	Arena	Capacity	Finished pos. in last season
Balatonfüredi KSE	Balatonfüred	Balaton Szabadidő és Konferencia Központ	712	4th
Budakalász FKC	Budakalász	Budakalászi Sportcsarnok	400	11th
Ceglédi KKSE	Cegléd	Gál József Sportcsarnok	1046	1st (in Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B Eastern)
Csurgói KK	Csurgó	Sótonyi László Sportcsarnok	1200	5th
Dabas KK	Dabas	OBO Aréna	1920	8th
SBS-Eger	Eger	Kemény Ferenc Sportcsarnok	885	10th
Ferencvárosi TC	Budapest	Elek Gyula Aréna	1300	7th
HE-DO B. Braun Gyöngyös	Gyöngyös	Dr. Fejes András Sport- és Rendezvénycsarnok	1500	6th
Grundfos Tatabánya KC	Tatabánya	Földi Imre Sportcsarnok	1000
Sport36-Komló	Komló	Komló Városi Sportközpont	800	9th
MOL-Pick Szeged	Szeged	Újszegedi Sportcsarnok	3600
Orosházi FKSE	Orosháza	Eötvös Sportcsarnok	740	12th
Veszprém KKFT Felsőörs	Veszprém	Veszprém Aréna	5096	1st (in Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B Western)
Telekom Veszprém KC	Veszprém	Veszprém Aréna	5096

Sponsorship[]

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[]

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.

showSeason	Number of teams
from to	4 teams
in	6 teams
in	12 team
from to 1956	4 teams
in	12 teams
from to	14 teams
from to	12 teams
from to	14 teams
from to	12 teams
from to	14 teams
from to	16 teams
from to	14 teams
from to	12 teams
in 2007-08	16 teams
in 2008-09	12 teams
from 2009-10 to 2010-11	13 teams
from 2011-12 to 2014-15	12 teams
from 2015-16 to present	14 teams

Title holders[]

Performances[]

By club[]

Club	Winners	Runners-up	Third place	Winning years
Veszprém	26	10	2	, , , , , , , , , , , 2003, , , , 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
	14	7	4	, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
	5	5	4	, , , ,
Vörös Meteor	4 + (1)	2	2	, , , ,
Szeged	4	18	11	, , 2018, 2021
Elektromos SE	4	6	4	, , ,
Tatabánya	4	3	7	, , ,
	3	3	4	, ,
	2	3	1	,
Dunaferr	1	4	8
Debreceni Dózsa	1	1	2
Ferencváros	-	3 + (1)	3	-
Győri Textiles	-	1	2	-
Csepel	-	1	1	-
Vörös Lobogó	-	-	2	-
Testnevelési Főiskola	-	-	2	-
Balatonfüred	-	-	2	-
Bp. Építők	-	-	1 + (1)	-
Martfűi MSE	-	-	1	-
	-	-	1	-
Honvéd Szondi SE	-	-	1	-
Csurgó	-	-	1	-

By counties[]

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

County (megye)	Titles	Winning Clubs
Budapest	29	(14) (5) Elektromos SE (4) Vörös Meteor (4) (2)
Veszprém	26	MVM Veszprém (26)
Komárom-Esztergom	4	Tatabánya KC (4)
Csongrád-Csanád	4	MOL-Pick Szeged (4)
Győr-Moson-Sopron	3	(3)
Hajdú-Bihar	1	Debreceni Dózsa (1)
Fejér	1	Dunaferr (1)

• The bolded teams are currently playing in the 2019-20 season of the Hungarian League.

Clubs[]

Since 1951, clubs have participated in the Hungarian League. Below the list of Hungarian League clubs who have participated in the first division. The club with the most appearances are the 28-time champions Ferencváros, however the club spent three years in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II (Hungarian Second Division) between 2006 and 2009. The only clubs who have never been relegated are Újpest.

110[inconsistent] seasons: Ferencváros 41 seasons: SC Pick Szeged

19 seasons: Vörös Meteor 17 seasons:

2 seasons: Vörös Lobogó

Notes

• The teams in bold are competing in the 2015–16 season of the Hungarian League.

Statistics[]

EHF coefficients[]

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

In European competitions[]

		Champions League					EHF Cup					Challenge Cup					Cup Winners' Cup (defunct)
		C		RU	SF		C		RU	SF		C		RU	SF		C		RU	SF
		1	1982	1	3		0		0	0		0		0	0		0		0	0
Veszprém		0		3	3		1		0	0		0		0	0		2	,	2	3
Szeged		0		0	0		1	2014	0	0		0		0	1		0		0	3
		0		0	0		1		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[]

• Nemzeti Bajnokság I Top Scorers
• Magyar Kupa (National Cup of Hungary)
• Hungarian handball clubs in European competitions
• Hungarian Handballer of the Year

References[]

External links[]

• Hungarian Habdall Federation (in Hungarian)
• Hungary at EHF
• NB I current season results and table at Soccerway
• Hétméteres - men's handball website