Team Esbjerg is a professional women's handball team based in Esbjerg, Denmark, that competes in the Bambusa Kvindeligaen and the 2025–26 Women's EHF Champions League. They play their home matches in Blue Water Dokken, which have capacity for 2,996 spectators. They play games in red shirts and black shorts.
The coaching team consists of Swedish international Tomas Axnér and Christian Køhler.Sportslig ledelse - Team Esbjerg
History Team Esbjerg was founded in 1991, as a cooperation between KVIK Esbjerg and Esbjerg Håndboldklub (EHK). They competed in the Danish Handball League for the first time in 1999, but they relegated the following year. They have been part of the league since 2004.
They won the Danish Championship for the first time in 2016, after beating FC Midtjylland Håndbold in the final. They lost the first final match 20–17, but won the second 24–19, after a dramatic penalty shootout. They won their second title in 2019, they also beat Herning-Ikast Håndbold, in two matches, with the scores 28–20 and 19–20. They also won the Danish Women's Handball Cup in 2017, after beating København Håndbold, with the score 31–20.
In the 2021-22 season they reached the Final Four of the EHF Women's Champions League for the first time. They did however only manage to get a fourth place, and they also lost the Danish Championship final to Odense Håndbold.
Over time, the club has had many notable and significant players, like Rikke Zachariassen, Ulrika Toft Hansen, Lotte Grigel, Gøril Snorroeggen, Maibritt Kviesgaard, Kari Aalvik Grimsbø, Emily Stang Sando, Marta Mangué, Laura van der Heijden, Angelica Wallén, Ida Bjørndalen and Sandra Toft Galsgaard.
Kits
HOME
AWAY
Honours EHF Champions League: Bronze: 2024, 2025 Semifinalist: 2022, 2023 EHF Cup: Silver: 2014, 2019 Danish Championship: Gold: 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2026 Silver: 2015, 2022, 2025 Danish Cup Winner: 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Silver: 2011, 2025 Bronze: 2018 Danish Super Cup Winner: 2015, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2026
Arena Arena: Blue Water Dokken City: Esbjerg Capacity: 2,996 Address: Gl. Vardevej 82, 6700 Esbjerg
Team
Current squad Squad for the 2026–27 season.
Goalkeepers 16 Silje Solberg-Østhassel 42 Katharina Filter Wingers LW 17 Elin Hansson 24 Sanna Solberg-Isaksen RW 20 Marit Røsberg-Torgersen 38 Mia Emmenegger Line players 7 Tabea Schmid 11 Rikke Iversen 18 Olivia Löfqvist
Back players LB 4 Julie Scaglione 10 Henriette Espetvedt Eggen 22 Line Haugsted CB 8 Live Rushfeldt Deila 25 Henny Reistad RB 9 Nora Mørk 19 Line Jørgensen 21 Helene Kindberg
Squad informationPlayerPositionDate of BirthContract until2Line HaugstedLeft back11 November 1994202420287Tabea SchmidLine Player14 August 2003202520308 Live Rushfeldt DeilaCentre Back15 January 2000202320289 Nora MørkRight Back5 April 19912022202811Rikke IversenLine Player 18 May 19932023202817Elin HanssonLeft Wing7 August 19962024202818Olivia LöfqvistLine Player13 July 19982025202720Marit Røsberg-TorgersenRight Wing25 February 19942018202821Helene KindbergRight Back13 January 19982025202724Sanna Solberg-Isaksen Left Wing16 June 19902017202825Henny ReistadLeft Back9 February 19992021202738Mia EmmeneggerRight Wing17 January 20052025203042Katharina FilterGoalkeeper4 February 199920252030
Transfers Transfers for the season 2027–28
Joining
Leaving Tomas Axnér (Head coach) Henny Reistad (CB) (to Brest Bretagne Handball)
Technical staff Head coach: Tomas Axnér Assistant coach: Rasmus Glad Vandbæk Goalkeeping coach: Tim Winkler Sportdirector: Thomas Hylle Teamleader: Helle Kongsbak Physiotherapist: Kenneth Hansen Physiotherapist: Daniel Bargsteen Video: Jes Juncker-Jensen
Former notable players
Sandra Toft (2017–2019) Rikke Poulsen (2019–2023) Mette Tranborg (2020–2025) Kathrine Heindahl (2022–2025) Stine Bodholt Nielsen (2014–2016) Rikke Schmidt (2012–2014) Lotte Grigel (2008–2015) Maibritt Kviesgaard (2013–2018) Rikke Zachariassen (2006–2018) Annette Jensen (2018–2022) Kaja Kamp (2020–2025) Maria Mose Vestergaard (2014–2019) Amalie Milling (2022–2025) Elma Halilcevic (2017–2021) Kari Aalvik Grimsbø (2010–2015) Kristine Breistøl (2018–2024) Vilde Ingstad (2016–2023) Marit Malm Frafjord (2018–2022) Siri Seglem (2007–2009) Emily Stang Sando (2013–2017) Gøril Snorroeggen (2010–2013) Betina Riegelhuth (2015–2016) Ida Bjørndalen Karlsson (2014–2018) Ine Karlsen Stangvik (2017–2018) Rikke Granlund (2018–2021) Julie Bøe Jacobsen (2022–2024) Johanna Ahlm (2013–2015) Angelica Wallén (2010–2013) Filippa Idéhn (2015–2017) Jenny Alm (2015–2017) Jessica Helleberg (2011–2013) Anna-Maria Johansson (2009–2011) Ulrika Toft Hansen (2015–2018) Clara Monti Danielsson (2018–2020) Marta Mangué (2007–2011) Lara González Ortega (2016–2018) Nerea Pena (2020–2021) Estavana Polman (2013–2022) Laura van der Heijden (2014–2017) Merel Freriks (2025) Katarina Tomašević (2007–2009) Kristina Liščević (2017–2019) Arna Sif Pálsdóttir (2010–2011) Rut Arnfjörð Jónsdóttir (2017–2020) Paule Baudouin (2008–2010) Mouna Chebbah (2008–2010) Sonja Frey (2019–2021) Dinah Eckerle (2021–2023) Kelsi Fairbrother (2010–2013) Beyza Irem Türkoglu (2021–2023) Beatrix Benyáts (2004–2006)
Statistics
Top scorers in the EHF Champions League Last updated on 4 October 2026 RankNameSeasons playedGoals1 Henny Reistad66762 Kristine Breistøl53323 Nora Mørk52694 Marit Røsberg-Torgersen82525 Sanna Solberg-Isaksen82516 Michala Møller62207 Vilde Ingstad52028 Mette Tranborg41839 Kaja Kamp515010 Live Rushfeldt Deila4131
Individual awards in the EHF Champions League SeasonPlayerAward2019–20 Sanna Solberg-IsaksenAll-Star Team (Best Left Wing)2021–22 Sanna Solberg-IsaksenAll-Star Team (Best Left Wing)
Head coach history Thomas Hylle1997–2002Jan Leslie2004–2006Thomas Hørlyk 2006–2007Teddy Barrett2007–2008Jan Paulsen2008–2011Lars Frederiksen2011–2017Jesper Jensen2017–2024Tomas Axnér2024–2027
European record
Champions League Season Competition Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate 2015–16 EHF Champions League Qualification tournament Yenimahalle Bld. SK 32–28 HCM Baia Mare 21–32 2016–17 EHF Champions League Group StageGroup D RK Krim 35–25 22–27 3rd place Larvik HK 29–30 24–31 IK Sävehof 29–18 25–20Main RoundGroup 2 CSM București 20–25 25–33 6th place Győri ETO KC 26–32 22–33 Midtjylland 22–21 26–38 2019–20 EHF Champions League Group StageGroup B Rostov-Don 31–26 26–34 2nd place CSM București 22–24 25–21 MKS Perła Lublin 35–22 28–22 Main RoundGroup 1 Metz Handball 30–29 31–31 2nd place Vipers Kristiansand 35–30 35–31 Ferencvárosi TC 29–27 25–26Quarterfinals Budućnost Podgorica Cancelled2020–21Champions League Group StageGroup A Metz Handball 25–28 29–31 6th place Rostov-Don 24–25 24–28 Vipers Kristiansand 27–27 28–28 Ferencvárosi TC 21–24 28–24 CSM București 29–30 26–28 SG BBM Bietigheim37–29 33–26 RK Krim 33–23 10–0Round of 16 Brest Bretagne Handball 27–33 27–30 54–632021–22Champions LeagueGroup stageGroup A Brest Bretagne Handball 28–28 23–26 1st place FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 33–27 31–31 Budućnost BEMAX 35–20 36–25 CSM București 22–21 29–29 BV Borussia 09 Dortmund 34–24 32–29 Rostov-Don 25–18 27–25 HC Podravka Vegeta 30–17 27–26Quarterfinals CSM București 27–27 26–25 53–52Semifinal Győri Audi ETO KC 27–32Bronze match Metz Handball 26–322022–23EHF Champions LeagueGroup stageGroup B Győri Audi ETO KC 29–31 28–29 3rd Metz Handball 35–28 24–26 CS Rapid București 32–34 35–30 ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica 28–23 30–20 Storhamar HE 35–25 34–25 Kastamonu Bld. GSK 43–27 39–31 RK Lokomotiva Zagreb 30–18 33–20Playoffs Brest Bretagne 28–25 27–24 55–49Quarterfinals CSM București 32–28 33–31 65–59Semifinal Ferencvárosi TC 29–30Bronze match Győri Audi ETO KC 27–282023–24EHF Champions League Group stageGroup B Metz Handball 29–27 31–36 2nd Vipers Kristiansand 38–37 32–37 CS Rapid București 30–28 33–24 FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria 27–23 33–28 Zagłębie Lubin 36–24 32–26 RK Krim Mercator 27–33 29–21 Ikast Håndbold 35–34 37–34Quarterfinals Ferencvárosi TC 29–24 26–25 55–49Semifinal Győri ETO KC 23–24Bronze match Metz Handball 37–332024–25EHF Champions League Group B Vipers Kristiansand 30–29 10–0 2nd ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica 27–23 26–19 HB Ludwigsburg 36–31 30–30 Győri Audi ETO KC 26–28 23–29 Brest Bretagne Handball 32–33 36–27 CS Rapid București 39–32 28–26 Odense Håndbold 39–30 32–23 Quarterfinals CSM București 26–22 29–30 55–52 Semifinal Győri Audi ETO KC 28–29 Bronze match Metz Handball 30–272025–26 EHF Champions League Group A Győri ETO KC 30–31 33–28 3rd Metz Handball 29–30 26–40 Storhamar HE 30–24 39–33 Gloria Bistrița-Năsăud 35–38 32–28 Borussia Dortmund 36–29 31–24 OTP Group Budućnost 36–24 34–34 DVSC Schaeffler 32–29 39–30Playoffs HC Podravka Vegeta 37–26 31–29 68–55Quarterfinals CSM București 26–25 27–37 53–622026–27 EHF Champions League Group stageGroup A Borussia Dortmund 33–24 Sola HK 28–25 RK Krim Mercator 37–31 OTP Group Budućnost 27–21 CSM București Brest Bretagne Handball FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria
European League (EHF Cup)
Season Competition Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate2010–11EHF Cup Round 3 Buxtehuder SV 28–23 25–29 53–52 Last 16 HC Dunărea Brăila 25–22 21–20 46–42 Quarterfinals FC Midtjylland 21–27 29–24 50–512011–12EHF Cup Round 3 Anagennisi Arta 31–15 36–14 67–29 Last 16 Team Tvis Holstebro 28–27 24–27 52–542013–14EHF Cup Round 3 RK Radnički Kragujevac 26–26 28–24 54–50 Last 16 DHK Baník Most 28–26 28–21 56–47 Quarterfinals Dinamo Volgograd 36–27 30–26 66–63 Semifinals Alba Fehérvár KC 24–25 27–26 51–51 (a) Final HC Lada 32–32 25–36 57–682014–15EHF CupRound 3 RŽK Zagorje 35–26 33–22 68–48Last 16 H 65 Höör 33–25 33–28 66–53Quarterfinals Érd NK 28–29 20–28 48–572018–19EHF CupRound 3 Paris 92 29–28 31–25 60–53Group A Storhamar HE 25–20 28–28 1st place SG BBM Bietigheim 28–27 32–27 CS Măgura Cisnădie 41–18 32–19Quarterfinals HC Kuban Krasnodar 37–24 37–31 74–55Semifinals Herning-Ikast Håndbold 30–16 23–20 53–36Final Siófok KC 21–21 21–26 42–47
EHF Cup Winners' Cup
Season Competition Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg AggregateEHF Cup Winners' Cup2012–13 Round 3 Quintus 36–25 26–23 62–48 Last 16 Rostov-Don 28–31 28–29 56–60EHF Cup Winners' Cup2015–16Round 3 Ardeşen GSK 30–26 22–31 52–57
References
External links Team Esbjerg's home page History of Team Esbjerg