WHC Metalurg () is a women's

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...

club from

Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

. The team currently competes in the Macedonian women's First League of Handball.

History

The club was established in 1964 under the name MIK and played in the amateur handball league of SR Macedonia. In the seasons 1967 ,1968 and 1970 MIK became winner of the handball league of SR Macedonia. In 1973 the club was renamed to RK Skopje. Finally in 1975, RK Skopje achieved their greatest success, participation in the First Yugoslav Handball League. In 1978, RK Skopje won the Yugoslav Cup for the territory of SR Macedonia. From then until the dissolution of former

Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...

, RK Skopje played in the Second Yugoslav Handball League. After the independence of Macedonia in 1991, RK Skopje competed in the Macedonian women's First League of Handball, and the club played in the EHF Women's Cup Winners' Cup in 1994 and in the Women's EHF Challenge Cup the following year. In the season 2007/08 the club got a strong sponsor, and under the name ŽRK Metalurg Skopje, unbeaten entered in the Macedonian women's First League of Handball. In the 2009/10 season ŽRK Metalurg Skopje won the Macedonian Championship and the Macedonian Cup without losing a point. The following season the club again won the league title and domestic cup. In the 2011–12 season, they had their best showing in Europe by making it to the Last 16 of the Women's EHF Cup Winners' Cup. They followed that up with their third straight domestic double crown. After long domination of WHC Vardar in the season 2018-19 WHC Metalurg Skopje made a big come back winning the championship of Macedonia again. They have reached the final of the Macedonian cup, but lost the final game against WHC Kumanovo. In the 2021–2022 season, after 9 years Metalurg managed to get in to National Cup Final 4. Competing against stronger opponents with more experienced a better players Metalurg won the Cup title for the 6th time. In the 1/2 finals they had to face defending Cup winners and Champions Kumanovo. After being two down 10-12 at the half time they managed to make a turnover and win in the end with 25-21 surprising the Champions. In the final match they had to meet the strong team of glorious Glorche Petrov team -the one with the most trophies in the country. Although Gjorche Petrov were the favorites, Metalurg played brilliantly in the final game. They made 4 goals difference at the half time 14-10 and keeping it wisely in the second half finishing 30-27. The most valuable player of the final match was 15 year old super talent Eva Mladenovska with 9 goals adding to the 10 from the semifinals.

Arena

Avtokomanda (Macedonian: "Автокоманда") is an indoor sports arena located in

, owned and used by Metalurg handball club. It's a small arena with its own fitness center and canteen restaurant. It has a capacity of 2500 people, 2000 seated and 500 standing.

Accomplishments

* Championship of Macedonia :''Winners (8):'' 1967, 1968,1970, 1985, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019 * Macedonian Cup :''Winners (6):'' 1978,2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022 *

Challenge Cup The Rugby Football League Challenge Cup, commonly known just as the Challenge Cup is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout rugby league cup competition organised by the Rugby Football League, held annually since 1896, it is the world's old ...

:''Semi-Finalist (1):'' 2009/10 * WRHL Women :''Finalist (1) : '' 2011/12 :''Third place (1) : '' 2009/10

European record

Team

Current squad

:''Squad for the 2025–26 season''

Technical staff

* Head Coach: Julijana Damchevska * Assistant Coach: Krsto Petrushevski * Physiotherapist: Filip Jovanovski * Director: Filip Hristov

References

External links

Official Website

EHF Profile

Macedonian Handball Federation

Women's Regional Handball League
{{DEFAULTSORT:ZRK Metalurg Metalurg Handball clubs established in 1964 Sport in Skopje 1964 establishments in Yugoslavia