As the business end of the season in club handball sweeps through Europe, there is plenty on display in May in the world of handball, with competitions taking place on all continents and in all disciplines.

As the European premium competition, the EHF Champions League, will find out its EHF FINAL4 participants, both in the men's and the women's competitions, with the quarter-finals scheduled for May, the second-tier European competition, the EHF European League, is going to host the EHF Finals this month.

The EHF Finals Women will take place in Graz, Austria, on 13 and 14 May, with two German sides – Thüringer HC and BV Borussia 09 Dortmund – taking on two Danish sides – Ikast Handbold and NFH – Nykobing Falster Handball.

The EHF Finals Men are scheduled for 27 and 28 May in Flensburg, Germany, with two German sides – Füchse Berlin and Frisch Auf Göppingen – facing Spain's Fraikin BM. Granollers and French side Montpellier HB.

Egypt will also host one of the most prestigious African international club competitions, the 39th CAHB Men's and Women's Africa Clubs Championship for Winners' Cup, taking place between 9 and 18 May, with plenty of strong teams on display.

For the national teams in the younger age categories, there are also five Women's IHF Trophies scheduled. The first one is in the Central American Zone between 9 and 13 May.

The Women's IHF Trophy Asia Zone 2 (South Central Asia) will take place between 13 and 17 May, while the last two, for Africa Zones 4 and 6, are scheduled between 23 and 27 May.

As the weather improves throughout Europe, the sandy beaches are back in action in beach handball, with the Men's and Women's EHF Beach Handball EURO scheduled between 24 and 28 May in Nazare, Portugal.

The top 16 men's teams and the top 16 women's teams will be taking on the court for the big prizes, trying to follow in Germany's footsteps in the women's competition and Denmark's footsteps in the men's competition, the two title holders which delivered excellent performances two years ago in Varna, Bulgaria.

Another beach handball tournament is also taking place in Manta, Ecuador, with four men's and women's teams taking part in the Torneo Internacional Balonmano Playa Manta 2023 – hosts Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Peru.

There is also action in wheelchair handball, with a friendly game scheduled for 6 May between Spain and Portugal, as the latter side, the winner of the 2022 World & European Wheelchair Handball Championship (six-a-side), organised jointly by the International Handball Federation and the European Handball Federation, is looking to get back on track.

The IHF Education Weeks will return in 2023 after delivering several successful presentations since 2020. The first instalment is due to take place in May with the Beach Handball Education Week, running from the 15th to the 21st. The Beach Handball Education Week will focus on different elements related to coaching and refereeing and feature several experts from three continents. The core topic is 'Beach handball playing styles and application of the Rules of the Game'.

Photo: Handball Federation Portugal / Handball Federation Zimbabwe