Level on pyramid Level 1 Date founded 1951 Levels on pyramid 1 | Relegation to Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B Number of teams 14 (from 2016–17) | |
International cup(s) EHF Champions LeagueEHF Cup Current champion MVM Veszprém KC (23rd title) Confederation European Handball Federation Teams | ||
The Nemzeti Bajnokság I (English: National Championship I, commonly abbreviated NB I) is the premier men's professional handball league in Hungary, administered by the Hungarian Handball Federation. Since 2006 the official name of the championship is Budapest Bank Férfi Kézilabda Liga due to sponsorship reasons.
Contents
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 12 teams, joined by Slovakian top club HT Tatran Prešov, which are also participating in the league to enhance the level of it, and to be able to play more competitive matches than in their home league, where they proved untouchable in the recent seasons. However, matches played by and against them do not count towards the official ranking.
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 eleventh and twelfth get relegated and will be replaced by the winners of the Eastern and Western group of the second division.
Teams for season 2013–14
Sponsorship
The league went through various name changes depending on the sponsor for the given season(s):
Format
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 12 teams in the first division.
Performance by club
The teams in Bold play in the 2015-16 season of NB I.
The teams in Italics no longer exist.
The teams in neither bold or italics are existing past winners of the championship that relegated to Hungarian lower leagues.
Performance by counties
The following table lists the Hungarian handball champions by counties of Hungary.
Clubs
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 (Hungarian Second Division) between 2006 and 2009. The only clubs who have never been relegated are Újpest.