What this document is
The Player Eligibility Code is the rulebook that governs which national team a handball player may represent, and under what conditions a player can transfer that eligibility later in their career. It applies across indoor handball, beach handball, wheelchair handball and competitions for players with learning disabilities, and it is used by both the International Handball Federation and, for European competitions, the European Handball Federation.
The code is organized into numbered articles covering basic principles, player status, the specific position of professional players, registration, eligibility to play for a national federation, and the rules for national players, including how and when a player can be released to represent a different country. Later articles cover eligibility for the Olympic Games, suspensions and dispute resolution, with appendices listing recognized competitions and the national federations that fall under the IHF's newer member structure.
Because eligibility rules affect which players can compete for which country at major tournaments, the code is revised periodically by the federations, so a reader should check the edition date against the current version published on the EHF's regulations page before relying on a specific article.
Where to find it
Available from European Handball Federation.