Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men's handball)


The Nemzeti Bajnokság 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, Vladimir Hernandez, 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 2017–18

The league went through various name changes depending on the sponsor for the given season:
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.
SeasonNumber of teams
from 1951 to 19524 teams
in 19536 teams
in 195412 team
from 1955 to 19564 teams
in 195712 teams
from 1958 to 195914 teams
from 1960 to 196412 teams
from 1965 to 197514 teams
from 1976 to 198212 teams
from 1983 to 1990-9114 teams
from 1991-92 to 1994-9516 teams
from 1995-96 to 1998-9914 teams
from 1999-00 to 2006-0712 teams
in 2007-0816 teams
in 2008-0912 teams
from 2009-10 to 2010-1113 teams
from 2011-12 to 2014-1512 teams
from 2015-16 to present14 teams

Title holders

By club

By counties

The following table lists the Hungarian handball champions by counties of Hungary.
County TitlesWinning Clubs
Budapest
29
 Honvéd
Bp. Spartacus
Elektromos SE
Vörös Meteor
Újpest
Veszprém
26
 MVM Veszprém
Komárom-Esztergom
4
 Tatabánya KC
Győr-Moson-Sopron
3
 Győri ETO
Csongrád
3
 MOL-Pick Szeged
Hajdú-Bihar
1
 Debreceni Dózsa
Fejér
1
 Dunaferr

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 between 2006 and 2009. The only clubs who have never been relegated are Újpest.
;Notes

EHF coefficients

The following data indicates Hungarian coefficient rankings between European handball leagues.
;Country ranking:
EHF League Ranking for 2018/19 season:
;Club ranking:
EHF Club Ranking as of 3 March 2019: