The Nemzeti Bajnokság I (, commonly abbreviated NB I) is the top professional league for Hungarian women's team handball clubs. It is administered by the Hungarian Handball Federation.
History
The first edition of the women's handball league was when the owner was pregnant, held in 1951. That year only four teams participated, playing once against each other. Csepeli Vasas SK were crowned champions as they got equal points to Budapest Vörös Meteor Közért, but were superior on goal difference. Next season Vörös Meteor took revenge and secured the title just ahead of Csepel.
The forthcoming years were characterized by long term team hegemonies: Budapesti Spartacus SC won seven titles between 1960 and 1967, whilst Vasas SC were awarded thirteen gold medals between 1972 and 1985.
Turning into the nineties, Ferencvárosi TC managed to appear in the dominant role. In the 1992–93 season, after topping the table in the regular season, they bled to death in the playoffs yet, but a year later there was nothing to stop them. Until 2002 another five league title landed in the hands of Ágnes Farkas and co. The lone team which managed to interrupt their run was the Radulovics-led Dunaferr in 1998. The Dunaújváros-based team won five titles altogether until 2004, when, after finished on the podium an incredibly nine times in row without having won the title, finally Győri Graboplast ETO KC lifted the championship trophy.
Since then ETO with the support of their new main sponsor, car manufacturer Audi, have won all but three titles losing the championship on all three occasions to main rivals Ferencvárosi TC.
Current teams (2024/2025)
Debreceni VSC Schaeffler Dunaújvárosi Kohász KA Békéscsabai Előre NKSE Alba Fehérvár KC Ferencvárosi TC-Rail Cargo Hungaria Győri Audi ETO KC Kisvárda Master Good SE Motherson-Mosonmagyaróvári KC MTK Budapest MOL Esztergom Moyra-Budaörs Handball Szombathelyi KKA Vasas SC Váci NKSE
Competition format
At the beginning only four teams entered the National Championship. Later, the league have been expanded, first to 12, later to 14 teams. There was a short living try with 16 teams in two groups but the idea got dropped just after five seasons. Since 2006 the league is made up of 12 teams. The championship was held in one calendar year until 1987, when they switched to autumn-spring format. In the 2003–04 season Austrian top club Hypo Niederösterreich played in the league as a guest team, however, their results did not count towards the final ranking.
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.
Season Number of teams from 1951 to 1952 4 teams in 1953 6 teams in 1954 12 team from 1955 to 1956 4 teams in 1957 12 teams from 1958 to 1959 14 teams from 1960 to 1964 12 teams from 1965 to 1975 14 teams from 1976 to 1982 12 teams from 1983 to 1990-91 14 teams from 1991-92 to 1994-95 16 teams from 1995-96 to 1997-98 14 teams in 1998-99 13 teams from 1999-00 to 2000-01 12 teams in 2001-02 11 teams from 2002-03 to 2003-04 12 teams from 2004-05 to 2005-06 11 teams from 2006-07 to 2015-16 12 teams from 2016-17 to present 14 teams
Current format
The current system is composed by twelve teams. The sides play twice against each other in the regular season on a home and on an away leg. The top four teams 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 round robin system, playing six additional rounds. According to their final position in the regular season, they awarded bonus points which are added to the points they earn in the postseason. Bottom two teams get relegated.
Title holders
1951 : Csepel 1952 : Vörös Meteor 1953 : Debreceni Petőfi 1954 : Csepel 1955 : Debreceni VSC 1956 : Csepel 1957 : Győri ETO 1958 : Miskolci VSC 1959 : Győri ETO 1960 : Bp. Spartacus 1961 : Bp. Spartacus 1962 : Bp. Spartacus 1963 : Bp. Spartacus 1964 : Bp. Spartacus 1965 : Bp. Spartacus 1966 : Ferencváros 1967 : Bp. Spartacus 1968 : Ferencváros 1969 : Ferencváros 1970 : Bakony Vegyész 1971 : Ferencváros 1972 : Vasas 1973 : Vasas 1974 : Vasas 1975 : Vasas 1976 : Vasas 1977 : Vasas 1978 : Vasas 1979 : Vasas 1980 : Vasas 1981 : Vasas 1982 : Vasas 1983 : Bp. Spartacus 1984 : Vasas 1985 : Vasas 1986 : Bp. Spartacus 1987 : Debreceni VSC 1988/89 : Bp. Építők 1989/90 : Bp. Építők 1990/91 : Hargita KC 1991/92 : Vasas 1992/93 : Vasas 1993/94 : Ferencváros 1994/95 : Ferencváros 1995/96 : Ferencváros 1996/97 : Ferencváros 1997/98 : Dunaferr 1998/99 : Dunaferr 1999/00 : Ferencváros 2000/01 : Dunaferr 2001/02 : Ferencváros 2002/03 : Dunaferr 2003/04 : Dunaferr 2004/05 : Győri ETO 2005/06 : Győri ETO 2006/07 : Ferencváros 2007/08 : Győri ETO 2008/09 : Győri ETO 2009/10 : Győri ETO 2010/11 : Győri ETO 2011/12 : Győri ETO 2012/13 : Győri ETO 2013/14 : Győri ETO 2014/15 : Ferencváros 2015/16 : Győri ETO 2016/17 : Győri ETO 2017/18 : Győri ETO 2018/19 : Győri ETO 2019/20 : Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic 2020/21 : Ferencváros 2021/22 : Győri ETO 2022/23 : Győri ETO 2023/24 : Ferencváros 2024/25 : Győri ETO 2025/26 : Győri ETO
Performances
By club Club Winners Runners-up Third place Winning years Győr 1957, 1959, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025 Vasas Budapest 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1993 Ferencváros 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2015, 2021, 2024 Budapesti Spartacus 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1983, 1986 Dunaújváros 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004 Csepel 1951, 1954, 1956 Hargita KC (Budapesti Építők) 1989, 1990, 1991 Debrecen 1955, 1987 Veszprém 1970 Vörös Meteor 1952 Miskolc 1958 Debreceni Petőfi 1953 Goldberger SE - Pécsi Bányász - Bp. Szikra - Testnevelési Főiskola - Békéscsaba - BHG SE - Érd - Tatabányai Bányász - Siófok - Debreceni Építők - Vörös Lobogó - Vasas Elzett - Bp. Postás - Híradótechnika - Secotex SE - Vác - Mosonmagyaróvár - Esztergom -
Performance by counties The following table lists the Hungarian women's handball champions by counties of Hungary. County (megye) Titles Winning clubs Budapest Vasas (15) Ferencváros (13) Bp. Spartacus (9) Csepel (3) Hargita KC* (3) VM Fűszért (1) Győr-Moson-Sopron Győri ETO (17) Fejér Dunaferr* (5) Hajdú-Bihar Debreceni VSC (2) Debreceni Petőfi SK (1) Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén Miskolci VSC (1) Veszprém Bakony Vegyész (1) The bolded teams are currently playing in the 2022-23 season of the Hungarian League. Dunaferr NK as Dunaújvárosi Kohász KA
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 12-time champions Ferencváros. 59 seasons: Ferencvárosi TC 49 seasons: Bp. Spartacus 44 seasons: Vasas SC 40 seasons: Debreceni VSC, Győri ETO KC 39 seasons: Dunaújvárosi KKA * 36 seasons: Békéscsabai ENKSE 28 seasons: Veszprém BKC * 27 seasons: Testnevelési Főiskola 26 seasons: Csepel, BHG * 26 seasons: Alba Fehérvár KC 21 seasons: Goldberger, Tatabányai Bányász * 20 seasons: Váci NKSE 19 seasons: Győri Textiles 18 seasons: BRESC * 17 seasons: Bp. Postás 14 seasons: Kiskunhalas 13 seasons: Építők SC * 15 seasons: Kaposvár 13 seasons: Bocskai, Budapesti AK, Nyíregyháza, Terézváros 12 seasons: Vörös Meteor 10 seasons: BVSC, Elektromos, Rákospalota, Soroksár, Szolnok 9 seasons: Siófok KC 8 seasons: Érd NK 7 seasons: Kecskemét, Miskolc, Postás, Pápa, Szegedi Honvéd 6 seasons: Eger, Phöbus, Somogy 5 seasons: MÚE, MAFC, Sabaria, Szegedi LK, VAC, Veszprém, Vörös Meteor 4 seasons: BKV Előre, MÁVAG, Nagykanizsa, Ózd, Stadler, Szentlőrinc, Turul, Zuglói SE 3 seasons: Budaörs, ESMTK, Kolozsvár, Nagyvárad, Pécsi VSK, Székesfehérvár, Szürketaxi, Tungsram, Typographia, Újvidék 2 seasons: Budapesti SC, Pécs-Baranya, Puskás, Gázszer, Soproni FAC, Szeged, Újpesti MTE, Újpesti Törekvés 1 season: Debreceni Építők, Debreceni Dózsa, Erzsébet, Dunaújváros PASE, Főváros, Ganz, Herminamező, Kassa, Kelenföld, Kőbánya, Kispest, Lampart, Mezőkövesd, Miskolc, Pereces, Soroksár, Szeged LC, Szolnoki Légierő, Testvériség, Tiszakécske, Tokod, Zugló
Notes The teams in bold are competing in the 2017–18 season of the Hungarian League.
1 seasons: Vörös Meteor Közért 4 seasons: Csepeli Vasas 1 seasons: Debreceni Építők 1 seasons: Békéscsabai Pamutszövő 1 seasons: Vörös Meteor FÜSZÉRT 1 seasons: Vörös Lobogó KELTEX* 1 seasons: Debreceni Petőfi SK 2 seasons: Miskolci Lokomotív 2 seasons: Vasas Elzett 2 seasons: Szikra Gázművek 2 seasons: Győri Vasas 1 seasons: Vörös Lobogó Pamut 1 seasons: Mechanikai Szövőgyár SE (V. L. Magyar Gyapjúfonó) 1 seasons: V. L. Váci Szövő 1 seasons: Szombathelyi Bőrgyár 1 seasons: Bp. Vörös Meteor
Statistics
EHF coefficients
The following data indicates Hungarian coefficient rankings between European handball leagues.
Country ranking EHF League Ranking for 2021/22 season:
(1) Nemzeti Bajnokság I (158.33) (2) Russian Superleague (117.33) (4) Bambusa Kvindeligaen (115.00) (3) Liga Națională (111.86) (5) Ligue Butagaz Énergie (95.17) (6) REMA 1000-ligaen (84.00)
In European competitions Champions League EHF European League (EHF Cup) Challenge Cup Cup Winners' Cup (defunct) Winning year(s) Winning year(s) Winning year(s) Győri ETO 7 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025 4 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Dunaújvárosi Kohász 1 1999 0 2 2 1998, 2016 0 1 0 0 0 1 1995 0 0 Vasas 1 1982 4 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 Ferencváros 0 2 3 1 2006 0 1 0 0 0 3 1978, 2011, 2012 2 2 Debreceni VSC 0 0 1 2 1995, 1996 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 Fehérvár KC 0 0 0 1 2005 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Siófok KC 0 0 0 1 2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bp. Spartacus 0 1 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 1981 1 0 Bakony Vegyész 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Építők 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Érd 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Szegedi ESK 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Csepel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1TOTAL 9 titles 11 17 7 titles 7 10 0 1 1 5 titles 7 7
Top scorers by season
1989/90 – Éva Erdős 1990/91 – Auguszta Mátyás 1991/92 – Auguszta Mátyás (2) 1992/93 – Erzsébet Kocsis 1993/94 – Eszter Mátéfi 1994/95 – Bojana Radulovic 1995/96 – Zsuzsanna Viglási 1996/97 – Zsuzsanna Viglási (2) 1997/98 – Florica Buda 1998/99 – Rita Deli 1999/00 – Rita Deli (2) 2000/01 – Ágnes Farkas 2001/02 – Auguszta Mátyás (3) 2002/03 – Zsuzsanna Viglási (3) 2003/04 – Auguszta Mátyás (4) 2004/05 – Auguszta Mátyás (5) 2005/06 – Beatrix Balogh
2006/07 – Judit Veszeli 2007/08 – Anita Görbicz & Renáta Mörtel 2008/09 – Anett Sopronyi 2009/10 – Tímea Tóth 2010/11 – Krisztina Triscsuk 2011/12 – Anita Bulath 2012/13 – Annamária Bogdanovics 2013/14 – Anita Bulath (2) 2014/15 – Nerea Pena 2015/16 – Katarina Krpež Slezak 2016/17 – Krisztina Triscsuk (2) 2017/18 – Katarina Krpež Slezak (2) 2018/19 – Katarina Krpež Slezak (3) 2019/20 – Gréta Kácsor 2020/21 – Tamara Pál 2021/22 – Csenge Kuczora 2022/23 – Csenge Kuczora (2)
2023/24 – Katrin Klujber 2024/25 – Rebeka Pődör
Notable foreign players List of foreign players who previously played or currently play in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I
Algeria Sarah Khouiled Angola Isabel Guialo Argentina Elke Karsten Austria Patricia Kovács Petra Blazek Gabriela Rotiș Simona Spiridon Kristina Dramac Klara Schlegel Ines Ivančok Azerbaijan Valentyna Salamakha Belarus Elena Abramovich Karyna Yezhykava Natalia Vasileuskaya Bosnia and Herzegovina Ivana Ljubas Brazil Eduarda Amorim Alexandra do Nascimento Bárbara Arenhart Daniela Piedade Samira Rocha Tamires Morena Bruna de Paula Karoline de Souza Ana Amorim Mariana Costa