The story of HC Kharkiv began in 2012 with an amateur team based at Kharkiv School No. 165. From training sessions and friendly matches to competing in Ukrainian championships, discover how the Kharkiv handball project developed over the years.
The story of HC Kharkiv is an example of how an amateur initiative and a passion for handball can gradually develop into a serious sporting project.
The team's journey began in 2012. The amateur handball club was established on the basis of Kharkiv School No. 165, where sport already played an important role in school life.
The Beginning: Amateur Handball
There were no major arenas, professional contracts or Ukrainian championship matches at the start. The team was formed around people who simply wanted to play handball, train together and contribute to the development of the sport in Kharkiv.
Training sessions and friendly matches became the first steps. Through these games, the team built its roster, gained valuable experience and gradually set more ambitious goals.
Over time, School No. 165 became an important part of Kharkiv's handball community, with its teams regularly participating in city handball competitions.
The Next Step — Official Competitions
Eventually, friendly matches and amateur competitions were no longer enough. The team began moving towards official tournaments and national championships.
This transition marked a new stage in its development. Matches now carried competitive significance, and the team faced increasingly demanding sporting challenges.
Kharkiv's handball players began competing at the national level. In the 2019/20 season, the team Kharlazar-KDYUSSH-1 (Kharkiv) participated in the Ukrainian First League and the Ukrainian Cup.
In the Ukrainian Cup, the Kharkiv side defeated SumDU 34:31 in the Round of 32 before ending its cup campaign against Kyiv's CSKA in the Round of 16.
From an Amateur Team to HC Kharkiv
Over the years, the team's name, roster and level of competition changed, but its main goal remained the same — to develop men's handball in Kharkiv and represent the city at the national level.
What began in 2012 as an amateur project based at a Kharkiv school gradually evolved into a team capable of competing for results in Ukrainian national championships.
The journey from friendly matches to national competition took years. Behind that progress were countless training sessions, the search for new players, the development of the squad and a continuous effort to raise the team's sporting level.
A New Chapter in the Club's History
Today, this story continues under the name HC Kharkiv.
The 2025/26 season marked one of the most important milestones in the team's history, as HC Kharkiv finished first in the Ukrainian Men's Higher League.
From a school sports ground and amateur matches to winning the Higher League — the club's journey shows how far an idea can go when it begins with a simple desire to build a team and play handball in Kharkiv.
2012 was the starting point. The story of HC Kharkiv continues.
Source: Handball.ua and open-source materials on the development of handball in Kharkiv.
