For the sixth time in seven editions and for the fourth time in a row, a team from the United States of America secured the title in the North American and Caribbean Senior Men’s Club Championship, and punched their ticket for the IHF Men’s Club World Championship.

This time around, for the first time in history, Los Angeles Handball Club are continental champions, after four wins in four matches in the competition which took place in Queretaro, Mexico, between 6 and 10 July, where two teams from the USA and two teams from Mexico faced off.

“Winning the North American Championship in such a short time as a club is proof of concept for what we’re building. LA Handball Club was built on the belief that this sport can grow in America if you invest in culture, coaching, and community, not just talent. This win tells every player, sponsor, and media outlet we’ve talked to that we’re not a startup experiment anymore. We’re building a winning culture, and it accelerates everything from recruiting, funding conversations, and our credibility when we tell people handball has a real future here,” said Lewis Howes, President of Los Angeles Handball Club.

The format of the competition saw a preliminary round played in a round-robin format, with the top two teams in the final standings progressing to the do-or-die final, which decided the winner.

Los Angeles Handball Club - coached by Olympic and two-time World champion, Morten Olsen - were the winners of that phase, after three wins, starting with a clear 31:20 one against Mexican side Espartanos HC. The second match, though, went down to the wire.

LA faced fellow American side New York Athletic Club, and were leading by eight goals, 26:18, with 14 minutes to go. However, with LA starting resting some key players, including World and Olympic champion Michael Damgaard, New York clawed their way back and applied serious pressure on the Californian team, with LA eventually taking a 29:28 win, with Damgaard still their top scorer, with six goals.

In the last match, Los Angeles Handball Club had no issues against Mexican side Juventus, with German player Lukas Wucherpfennig scoring seven goals in their 36:25 win, which ensured the first place.

The battle for the second place – the one ensuring a spot in the final – was also decided quite early, as New York Athletic Club managed to secure a 29:24 win in the first match, against Juventus.

When Juventus beat Espartanos, 31:30, in the second matchday, that meant that New York could also afford a loss in the last round against Espartanos, but the American side sealed the second place with a 31:27 win.

That meant that the final was going to be a 100% American duel, which could always see a surprise on the court. And for 15 minutes, New York really stood tall, managing to take an early two-goal lead, 6:4, before LA bounced back.

 

Austrian back Alexander Hermann was instrumental in a crucial run for LA in the second part of the first half, while Damgaard also added some goals, helping turn the match on its head and open a three-goal lead at the break, 19:16.

After a healthy start from New York in the second half, LA went on a 8:2 run, which proved to be decisive, ensuring that the Californian side sealed the title with a 34:29 win.

Damgaard finished the final with eight goals, while Hermann and Joscha Ritterbach added five goals each, to help their side celebrate the biggest performance in the history of the club.

“Short term, we want to build on 2026 by strengthening our roster and infrastructure so this isn’t a one-off. We want to be a Club World Championship regular, not a one-time qualifier. Medium term, we’re focused on growing the visibility of handball in the USA, which ties directly into the LA 2028 Olympics. We want American fans discovering this sport for the first time and falling in love with it the way the rest of the world already has,” says Howes.

“Long term, our goal is for LA Handball Club to be a pipeline for U.S. Olympic talent and a model other American clubs can follow, so that by 2028, handball isn’t an obscure sport most Americans have never seen, it’s a sport this country is genuinely proud of.”

Espartanos finished third in the final standings, after a 30:27 win against Juventus.

Now, LA Handball Club will become the fourth time from the United States of America to take part in the IHF Men’s Club World Championship.

The pathway was opened by New York City THC, which finished ninth in 2019. San Francisco CalHeat ended 10th in 2021 and 2023, while the California Eagles were ninth and eighth respectively in 2024 and 2025.

“We are still an amateur club that gets together once a week for practice when we can. Realistically, we are massive underdogs going against the top professional clubs in the world with decades more resources and depth. Our goal is to compete with pride, learn at the highest level and building meaningful relationships. If we can create one or two big results and have teams respect us on the scoreboard, then that’s a statement. We want to represent USA handball well and use this stage to open doors for sponsors, for media attention, for the next wave of American athletes who don’t yet know this sport exists,” concluded Howes.

Photo credit: Los Angeles Handball Club