Herreligaen

The Herreligaen (men's league), formerly known as Herrehåndboldligaen (men's handball league), is the men's top Danish professional handball league. The winners of the Herreligaen are recognised as the Danish men's handball champions. The current champions are Aalborg Håndbold.

History Prior to 1946, four regional tournaments were arranged, and the winner of each of those met in an unofficial tournament. In 1939 Danmarks Idrætsforbund gave permission, making the 1939 championship the official Danish Championship and Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening the first official Danish Champions.

From the 1946-47 onwards national tournaments were arranged for the first time, called the 1st Division. There were attempts to make a proper national league in 1939, but they were halted by the German occupation of Denmark in the 2nd world war, and therefore the tournament kept its old structure during the war, and in 1945 it was outright cancelled. After the war the Danish Men's Handball League was created. In the beginning, the Copenhagen based clubs were dominant, and first in 1951 did Helsingør IF become the first club outside Copenhagen to win the Danish Championship.

From the 1998-99 season, the Håndboldligaen was created as the new first tier, relegating the 1st division to become a second tier.

In the late 50's and early 60's Aarhus became the dominant city with AGF Håndbold, Skovbakken and Aarhus KFUM winning multiple championships.

In the 70's Fredericia KFUM emerged as one of the strongest teams, and won 5 straight championships.

In the 80's, 90's and 2000's the league was dominated by a rivalry between KIF Kolding and GOG. Between 1986 and 2010 there was only a single Danish Championship final without either of the team, and there were 8 direct championship matches between them. The period ended when GOG went bankrupt in 2010.

In the 2010's Aalborg Håndbold emerged as the new superpower, winning their first championship in 2010, the second in 2013 and then 7 titles in 10 years between 2017 and 2026, only interrupted by Skjern Håndbold, and lately by GOG reemergence in the 2020's.

Season The Herreligaen season consists of 14 teams, each playing 26 regular season games. The eight best teams of the regular season advance to further games, where they are divided into two groups of four teams each. No. 1 and 2 from the regular season start with 2 points. No. 3 and 4 start with 1 point, while no. 5-8 start with no points. After these six games the two top teams in each group will play semifinals. No. 1 from one group is up against no. 2 from the other. The winners will meet in finals, while the losers will play against each other for the bronze medal. Semifinals, finals, and bronze games are all played in best of 3.

The lowest placed team of the regular season is directly relegated to the second-best division, and replaced by the winner of this. The teams finishing as 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are put in a group where they will play against each other. In the second-best division, the teams that end up 2nd and 3rd will play against each other in best of 3. The winner of those games will get to meet the lowest placed team from the 9-13 group from the top league, yet again in best of 3. The winner will get to play in the top league next season, while the loser plays in the second-best division.

Teams The teams for the 2024–25 season are:

Team Location Arena Capacity Aalborg Håndbold Aalborg Jutlander Bank Arena 5,009 Bjerringbro-Silkeborg Bjerringbro Silkeborg-Hallerne 2,845 Fredericia HK Fredericia Fredericia Idrætscenter 2,225 Grindsted GIF Håndbold Grindsted Vestjysk Bank Arena 500 GOG Gudme Gudme-Hallerne 2,265 KIF Kolding Kolding Tre-For Arena 5,182 Mors-Thy Nykøbing Mors Thisted Jyske Bank Mors Arena Thy Hallen 2,296 1,284 Nordsjælland Håndbold HelsingeHillerød Helsinge-HallenRoyal Stage 1,6003,000 Ribe-Esbjerg Esbjerg Ribe Blue Water Dokken Invactor Arena 3,386 1,976 Skanderborg Aarhus Håndbold Skanderborg Aarhus Fælledhallen Ceres Arena 1,700 5,000 Skjern Skjern Skjern Bank Arena 3,264 SønderjyskE Sønderborg Broager Sparekasse Skansen 2,200 TMS Ringsted Ringsted Poul Christensen Arena 1,200 TTH Holstebro Holstebro Idrætscenter Vest 3,250

Champions The complete list of the Danish men's handball champions since 1936.DHF – Herrer – Placeringer i 1.division fra 1985 til 1997/98 – fra 1998/99 i HåndboldLigaen

YearWinner (titles)Top goalscorer (goals), club 1935-36 IF Vidar (1) 1936-37 IF Ajax (1) 1937-38 IF Vidar (2) 1938-39 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (1) 1939-40 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (2) 1940-41 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (3) 1941-42 IF Ajax (2) 1942-43 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (4) 1943-44 IF Ajax (3) 1944-45 Season suspended 1945-46 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (5) 1946-47 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (6) Svend Aage Madsen (36), IF Ajax 1947-48 IF Ajax (4) Svend Aage Madsen (47), IF Ajax 1948-49 IF Ajax (5) Per Theilmann (42), Helsingør IF 1949-50 IF Ajax (6) Svend Aage Madsen (48), IF Ajax 1950-51 Helsingør IF (1) Per Theilmann (56), Helsingør IF 1951-52 IF Ajax (7) Per Theilmann (97), Helsingør IF 1952-53 IF Ajax (8) Mogens Olsen (109), Aarhus KFUM 1953-54 Tarup HK (1) Mogens Olsen (101), Aarhus KFUM 1954-55 Aarhus KFUM (1) Mogens Olsen (130), Aarhus KFUM 1955-56 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (7) Mogens Olsen (128), Aarhus KFUM 1956-57 AGF (1) Mogens Olsen (144), Aarhus KFUM 1957-58 Helsingør IF (2) Mogens Olsen (162), Aarhus KFUM 1958-59 AGF (2) Mogens Olsen (178), Aarhus KFUM 1959-60 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (8) Jens Ove Hansen (144), IF Stjernen 1960-61 AGF (3) Max Nielsen (127), MK 31 1961-62 Skovbakken (1) Jørgen P. Hansen (128), Tarup Pårup IF Peter Nielsen (128), IF Ajax 1962-63 Aarhus KFUM (2) Mogens Olsen (102), Aarhus KFUM 1963-64 IF Ajax (9) USG 1964-65 AGF (4) Jørgen Petersen (142), H.G. Handball 1965-66 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (9) Mogens Olsen (122), Aarhus KFUM 1966-67 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (10) Jørgen Petersen (118), H.G. Handball 1967-68 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (11) Karl Erik Jørgensen (131), IF Stjernen 1968-69 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (12) Hans Jørn Graversen (132), Skovbakken 1969-70 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening (13) Hans Jørn Graversen (128), Skovbakken 1970-71 Efterslægten (1) Flemming Hansen (161), Fredericia KFUM 1971-72 IF Stadion (1) Flemming Hansen (97), Fredericia KFUM 1972-73 IF Stadion (2) Flemming Hansen (152), Fredericia KFUM 1973-74 Aarhus KFUM (3) Flemming Hansen (137), Fredericia KFUM 1974-75 Fredericia KFUM (1) Flemming Hansen (109), Fredericia KFUM 1975-76 Fredericia KFUM (2) Flemming Hansen (136), Fredericia KFUM 1976-77 Fredericia KFUM (3) Michael Jørn Berg (168), Holte IF 1977-78 Fredericia KFUM (4) Michael Jørn Berg (201), Holte IF 1978-79 Fredericia KFUM (5) Michael Jørn Berg (148), Holte IF 1979-80 Aarhus KFUM (4) Michael Jørn Berg (141), Holte IF 1980-81 Helsingør IF (3) Michael Jørn Berg (148), Holte IF 1981-82 Skovbakken (2) Bjarne Jeppesen (117), Fredericia KFUM 1982-83 Aarhus KFUM (5) Erik Veje Rasmussen (121), Helsingør IF 1983-84 Gladsaxe/HG (1) Michael Jørn Berg (125), Holte IF 1984-85 Helsingør IF (4) Michael Jørn Berg (101), Holte IF Hans Henrik Hattesen (101), Virum-Sorgenfri HK 1985-86 Hellerup IK (1) Flemming Hansen (100), Helsingør IF 1986-87 Kolding IF (1) Flemming Hansen (98), Helsingør IF 1987-88 Kolding IF (2) Kim G. Jacobsen (105), Kolding IF 1988-89 Helsingør IF (5) John Mortensen (112), Nyborg GIF 1989-90 Kolding IF (3) Otto Mertz (107), Kolding IF 1990-91 Kolding IF (4) John Jacobsen (150), Ribe HK 1991-92 GOG (1) Per Sabroe Thomsen (121), GOG 1992-93 Kolding IF (5) Fritz Thomsen (141), Aalborg KFUM 1993-94 Kolding IF (6) Kim Keller Christensen (170), Virum-Sorgenfri HK 1994-95 GOG (2) Jan Paulsen (168), HK Roar 1995-96 GOG (3) Klavs Bruun Jørgensen (167), Virum-Sorgenfri HK 1996-97 Virum-Sorgenfri HK (1) Nikolaj Jacobsen (205), GOG 1997-98 GOG (4) Lars E. Jørgensen (142), HK Roar 1998-99 Skjern Håndbold (1) Ole Nielsen (158), Team Esbjerg 1999-2000 GOG (5) Brian Jensen (140), Vrold/Skanderborg HK 2000-01 Kolding IF (7) Bilal Šuman (178), Kolding IF 2001-02 KIF Kolding (8) Heins Kart Pedersen (172), Bjerringbro FH 2002-03 KIF Kolding (9) Lars Rasmussen (179), Ajax/Farum 2003-04 GOG (6) Micke Næsby (227), Fredericia HK 2004-05 KIF Kolding (10) Robert Gunnarsson (241), Århus GF 2005-06 KIF Kolding (11) Jesper Nøddesbo (178), KIF Kolding 2006-07 GOG (7) Hans Lindberg (187), Viborg HK 2007-08 FCK Håndbold (1) Milutin Dragićević (177), Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 2008-09 KIF Kolding (12) Fredrik Petersen (171), GOG 2009-10 AaB Håndbold (1) Claus Møller Jakobsen (149), Skjern 2010-11 AG København (1) Jonas Larholm (160) AaB Håndbold 2011-12 AG København (2) Michael Pedersen (184), Skive fH 2012-13 Aalborg Håndbold (2) Jeppe Riber (196), Ribe-Esbjerg HH 2013-14 KIF Kolding Copenhagen (13) Henrik Møllgaard (228), Skjern 2014-15 KIF Kolding Copenhagen (14) Nikolaj Ø. Nielsen (205), Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 2015-16 Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (1) Patrick Wiesmach Larsen (217), Team Tvis Holstebro 2016-17 Aalborg Håndbold (3) Sander Sagosen (206), Aalborg Håndbold Jacob Holm (206), Ribe-Esbjerg HH 2017-18 Skjern Håndbold (2) Nikolaj Ø. Nielsen (202), Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 2018-19 Aalborg Håndbold (4) Anders Eggert (223), Skjern 2019-20 Aalborg Håndbold (5) Nikolaj Læsø (153), Aarhus Håndbold 2020-21 Aalborg Håndbold (6) Emil Jakobsen (244), GOG 2021-22 GOG Håndbold (8) Jerry Tollbring (266), GOG 2022-23 GOG Håndbold (9) Emil Wernsdorf Madsen (252), GOG 2023-24 Aalborg Håndbold (7) Emil Wernsdorf Madsen (192), GOG 2024-25 Aalborg Håndbold (8) Nicolaj Jørgensen (275), SønderjyskE Herrehåndbold 2025-26 Aalborg Håndbold (9) Frederik Bjerre (283), GOG

Total titles won The following clubs have won the Danish championship. Club Winners KIF Kolding 14 Handelsstandens Gymnastikforening 13 IF Ajax 9 GOG 9 Aalborg Håndbold 9 Helsingør IF 5 Aarhus KFUM 5 Fredericia KFUM 5 AGF 4 Skjern Håndbold 2 AG København 2 Skovbakken 2 IF Stadion 2 IF Vidar 2 Bjerringbro-Silkeborg 1 FCK Håndbold 1 Virum-Sorgenfri HK 1 Hellerup IK 1 Gladsaxe/HG 1 Efterslægten 1 Tarup HK 1

EHF coefficients

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

Country ranking EHF League Ranking for 2021/22 season:

5. (3) Super Liga (93.00) 6. (6) Polish Superliga (77.00) 7. (6) Danish Handball League (74.50) 8. (9) 1ª Divisão (69.00) 9. (8) Croatian Premier Handball League (46.33)

Club ranking EHF Club Ranking as of 25 September 2025: 5. Aalborg (513) 15. GOG (330) 43. Bjerringbro-Silkeborg (106) 47. Skjern (98) 55. Fredericia (87)

Names The Danish Handball League has had several different names due to the main sponsor changing: 1998–2001: Byggekram Ligaen 11/2001–2004: TDC Ligaen 1/2007–2008: Tele2 Ligaen 2008–2009: CBB Mobil Ligaen 2009–2013: Jack & Jones Ligaen 2014–2016: Boxer TV Ligaen 2016–2018: 888.dk Ligaen 2019–2020: Primo Tours Ligaen 11/2020–2023: HTH Ligaen 2025–: Bambuni Ligaen

Herreligaen

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