Handball in Cameroon: the Lionesses and their clubs
In Cameroon, handball is above all a women's sport. Behind Angola, which has dominated the continent for decades, the Lionesses are one of Africa's best teams: African Games champions in 2003 and five times runners-up at the African Championship, including in 2021 in Yaoundé. Clubs from the capital, led by TKC and FAP, have regularly reached the podium of the African Champions League. The men have never matched their 1974 final.
Information checked on
At a glance
- Federation
- Cameroon Handball Federation (FĂ©cahand), IHF member since 1970
- Best result (women)
- African Games gold 2003; Africa Cup runners-up 1979, 1987, 2004, 2021, 2022
- World Championships (women)
- 4: 2005, 2017, 2021, 2023
- Best result (men)
- Runners-up at the first Africa Cup, in 1974
The Lionesses at the African Championship
The women's team has played 19 African Championships. It finished second in 1979, 1987, 2004, 2021 and 2022, and third in 1983, 1985 and 2016. The last two finals were both lost to Angola: in June 2021 in Yaoundé, in front of a home crowd (25-15), after a one-goal semi-final win over Congo (22-21); and in November 2022 in Dakar.
Their finest title remains the gold medal at the 2003 African Games. Angola has won every edition since.
The Lionesses at the World Championships
| Year | Placing | Qualified via |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 22nd (debut) | 2004 African Championship (runners-up) |
| 2017 | 20th (best result) | 2016 African Championship (3rd) |
| 2021 | 28th | 2021 African Championship (runners-up) |
| 2023 | 24th | 2022 African Championship (runners-up) |
At the 2023 World Championship, several squad members played for clubs in France and Turkey. The team is coached by Jamal El Kabouss, assisted by Oumarou Mouhamed. It has never played at the Olympic Games.
The men's team
The men have played 19 of the 27 African Championships. Their best result dates back to the very first edition, in Tunisia in 1974, where they finished second; they were third in 1976. Since then their placings have ranged from 5th (2014, 2016) to 12th (2022); they finished 10th in Rwanda in 2026. They have never qualified for a World Championship. The team is coached by Bertin Njantou.
The clubs: TKC and FAP on the African podium
In the African Women's Handball Champions League, Cameroonian clubs have often reached the last four without ever lifting the trophy. AS CAMI were runners-up as early as 1983, beaten by CARA Brazzaville (20-14). Yaoundé's Tonnerre Kalara Club (TKC) were third in 2004 and runners-up in 2008, losing to Angola's Petro Atlético (31-19). Yaoundé's Armed Forces and Police club (FAP) finished third many times: in 2005, 2008, 2012 and every year from 2015 to 2018.
We could not find a reliable, recent list of national handball league champions online.
The federation
Founded in 1970 and affiliated to the International Handball Federation (IHF) that same year, FĂ©cahand is based in YaoundĂ© and also oversees beach handball. In late December 2022, at the Mont Febe hotel in YaoundĂ©, Abba Oumate was elected president with 58 votes to Emile Essombe's 23. He said at the time that âhandball is experiencing serious problemsâ and promised to focus on training, sponsorship and zone-based competitions.
In May 2024 the federation publicly denied rumours of a four-year IHF suspension, at the very moment Yaoundé's Palais des Sports was hosting the IHF Challenge Trophy for under-18 and under-20 men's teams (21-25 May 2024), organised with the African confederation.
Frequently asked questions
Have Cameroon ever won the African Women's Handball Championship?
No. The Lionesses have been runners-up five times (1979, 1987, 2004, 2021 and 2022), behind Angola in the most recent finals. They did, however, win the African Games in 2003.
How many times have Cameroon's women played the Handball World Championship?
Four times: 2005, 2017, 2021 and 2023. Their best placing is 20th in 2017.
What are the main handball clubs in Cameroon?
In the women's game, FAP and TKC of Yaoundé: TKC reached the African Champions League final in 2008 and FAP finished third several times, including every year from 2015 to 2018.
Who is the president of the Cameroon Handball Federation?
Abba Oumate, elected in late December 2022 with 58 votes to 23. He was still in office in May 2024.
Handle with care
The English Wikipedia page on the federation still names a different, undated president (Lippert Daniel Raymond Mbita Mvaebeme), apparently predating the 2022 election. The African Champions League data, taken from Wikipedia, put FAP third in 2008, the year TKC were runners-up; they could not be cross-checked with the African confederation. World Championship qualification routes are inferred from African Championship placings.