The France women's national handball team is the national team of France. It is governed by the French Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions. The team is considered one of the strongest in the world, having won both World, Olympic and European gold.

Honours Competition TotalOlympic Games1 2 0 3World Championship3 4 1 8European Championship1 1 3 5 Total 5 7 4 16

Results Olympic Games GamesPosition 1976 Montrealdid not qualify 1980 Moscow 1984 Los Angeles 1988 Seoul 1992 Barcelona 1996 Atlanta 2000 Sydney6th7304180177+3 2004 Athens4th7304179182−3 2008 Beijing5th8404219217+2 2012 London5th6411147126+21 2016 Rio de Janeiro8602188164+24 2020 Tokyo8512230209+21 2024 Paris8701237204+33 2028 Los AngelesTBDTotal6/12523221813801280+100

World Championship YearPosition+/– 1957did not qualify 1962 1965 1971 1973 1975 1978 1982 198615th610589121−32 199014th6204114137−23 1993did not qualify 1995 199710th6303160125+35 19992nd 9702213178+35 20015th9702246207+39 20031st 10901282224+58 200512th8305212199+13 20075th10703287251+36 20092nd 10703258219+39 20112nd 9702268204+64 20136th7601173121+52 20157th9513227194+33 20171st 9711236189+47 201913th7412191138+53 20212nd 9801240197+43 20231st 9900290228+62 20253rd 9702300223+77 2027TBD 2029 2031Total17/281429934037863155+631

European Championship YearPosition+/– 1994did not qualify 1996 1998 20005th6402150125+25 20023rd 8503189191−2 200411th6105153177−24 20063rd 8503203196+7 200814th30037483−9 20105th7502168153+15 20129th6303140131+9 20145th7511168150+18 20163rd 8602183164+19 20181st 8611217181+36 20202nd 8611209179+30 20224th8602222177+45 20244th9702255211+44 2026 Qualified 2028 TBD 2030 Qualified as co-host 2032 TBDTotal925933023312118+213

Other tournaments 1987 Mediterranean Games – 2nd 1989 Carpathian Trophy – 3rd 1991 Mediterranean Games – 2nd 1993 Mediterranean Games – 2nd 1997 Mediterranean Games – Winner 2001 Mediterranean Games – Winner 2005 Mediterranean Games – 4th 2009 Mediterranean Games – Winner 2002 Møbelringen Cup – 3rd 2004 Møbelringen Cup – 2nd 2006 Møbelringen Cup – 3rd 2012 Møbelringen Cup – Winner 2014 Møbelringen Cup – 3rd 2016 Møbelringen Cup – 4th 2018 Møbelringen Cup – 2nd GF World Cup '07 – 2nd GF World Cup '08 – 3rd GF World Cup '10 – 3rd GF World Cup '11 – 3rd 2014–15 Golden League – 2nd

Team Current squad The squad for two friendly matches against Hungary in October 2026.

Head coach: Sébastien Gardillou

Caps and goals as of 6 October 2026.

Extended squad / recent call-ups

Coaching staff Role Name Start year Head coach Sébastien Gardillou 2024 Assistant coach David Burgin 2024 Goalkeeping coach Amandine Leynaud 2022

Notable players Several French players have seen their individual performance recognized at international tournaments. MVP Valérie Nicolas (goalkeeper), 2003 World Championship Estelle Nze Minko (left back), 2020 European Championship All-Star Team Nodjialem Myaro (centre back), 1999 World Championship Stéphanie Cano (right wing), 2002 European Championship Valérie Nicolas (goalkeeper), 2003 World Championship, 2007 World Championship Isabelle Wendling (line player), 2003 World Championship Véronique Pecqueux-Rolland (centre back), 2004 Summer Olympics Mariama Signaté (left back), 2009 World Championship Allison Pineau (centre back), 2009 World Championship, 2011 World Championship, 2016 Summer Olympics Alexandra Lacrabère (right back), 2016 Summer Olympics Béatrice Edwige (defender), 2016 European Championship Grâce Zaadi (centre back), 2017 World Championship, 2020 Summer Olympics, 2021 World Championship Siraba Dembélé (left wing), 2017 World Championship Amandine Leynaud (goalkeeper), 2018 European Championship Laura Flippes (right wing), 2020 Summer Olympics Pauletta Foppa (line player), 2020 Summer Olympics, 2021 World Championship, 2022 European Championship, 2024 European Championship (best defender) Coralie Lassource (left wing), 2021 World Championship Cléopatre Darleux (goalkeeper), 2022 European Championship Laura Glauser (goalkeeper), 2023 World Championship, 2024 Summer Olympics Chloé Valentini (left wing), 2023 World Championship Estelle Nze Minko (left back), 2023 World Championship, 2024 Summer Olympics Alicia Toublanc (right wing), 2024 Summer Olympics Sarah Bouktit (line player), 2025 World Championship

Individual all-time records

Most matches played Total number of matches played in official competitions only.

# Player Matches Goals Period 1 Isabelle Wendling 338 543 1993–2008 2 Véronique Pecqueux-Rolland 301 917 1993–2008 3 Siraba Dembélé 291 848 2006–2021 4 Allison Pineau 273 696 2007–2021 5 Camille Ayglon 270 550 2007–2019 6 Alexandra Lacrabère 256 833 2006–2021 7 Amandine Leynaud 254 3 2005–2021 8 Raphaëlle Tervel 249 372 1998–2012 9 Valérie Nicolas 244 0 1995–2008 10 Stéphanie Cano 231 462 1993–2008 Last updated: 28 November 2024

Most goals scored Total number of goals scored in official matches only. # Player Goals Matches Average 1 Véronique Pecqueux-Rolland 917 301 3.04 2 Siraba Dembélé 848 291 2.91 3 Alexandra Lacrabère 833 256 3.25 4 Leila Lejeune 763 183 4.17 5 Allison Pineau 696 273 2.55 6 Paule Baudouin 605 197 3.07 7 Sophie Herbrecht 569 193 2.95 8 Camille Ayglon 550 270 2.04 9 Isabelle Wendling 543 338 1.60 10 Estelle Nze Minko 517 208 2.48 Last updated: 15 December 2024

Head coach history +PeriodCoach1991–1997 Carole Martin1998–2013; 2016–2024 Olivier Krumbholz2013–2016 Alain Portes2024–present Sébastien Gardillou

References

External links

IHF profile