ISSO Handball Championship 2026 Marks Growing Momentum For The Sport With 15 Schools Participating

Mumbai: Handball continued to gain momentum on the International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) calendar as 15 schools recently participated in the two-day ISSO Handball Championship hosted at Don Bosco International School, Mumbai.

Introduced to the ISSO calendar last year, Handball returned for its second edition with increased participation, intense competition and spirited performances across the Under-14 and Under-17 Boys and Girls categories, further strengthening its place within ISSO’s growing sporting programme.

The host school, Don Bosco International School (DBIS), Mumbai, enjoyed a highly successful championship, winning three of the four titles on offer. DBIS emerged champions in the U14 Boys, U14 Girls and U17 Boys categories, while VIBGYOR claimed the U17 Girls title.

In the U14 Boys, DBIS finished as champions, with Amulakh securing the runners-up position and CHIREC finishing third. In the U14 Girls, DBIS took the title, followed by VIBGYOR as runners-up and Amulakh in third place.

DBIS continued its strong run in the U17 Boys, finishing ahead of VIBGYOR and CHIREC. In the U17 Girls, VIBGYOR emerged champions, with DBIS finishing runners-up and Utpal securing third place.

Commenting on the growing popularity of Handball, Abhishek Saraswat, Admin Head, ISSO, said, “It is encouraging to see Handball gaining greater participation and enthusiasm in its second year on the ISSO calendar. The response from schools and athletes reflects the growing interest in the sport and we look forward to building on this momentum in the coming editions.”

The championship showcased the growing depth of school-level Handball, with athletes competing across age groups and schools bringing strong teams to the event. The increased participation in only its second year underlines the potential for Handball to become one of the prominent disciplines within the ISSO calendar.