【Handball】New 'Special Designated Player System (W-Entry)' Introduced to Allow University Students to Play in League H

The Japan Handball Association (JHA), a certified public foundation, has established a new system called the 'Special Designated Player System (W-Entry)' that enables university students to play in League H, Japan's top-tier domestic handball league, while remaining enrolled in university.

The purpose of this system is to provide promising university-level players with opportunities to gain experience in a top-level environment, thereby supporting further improvement in their competitive abilities.

Overview of the System

'W-Entry' allows players to be registered with both their university team and a League H team simultaneously. By maintaining their registration with a university team while also being registered as a 'Special Designated Player' in League H, athletes can participate in official competitions for both their university and a League H team.

The JHA's Department of Athlete Development and Strengthening will lead the initiative in collaboration with university teams, the All Japan Student Handball Federation, and League H to create an optimal player development environment.

This system does not obligate players to pursue a career path into League H. Instead, it is positioned as a developmental opportunity for athletes who wish to continue competing at the university level while gaining experience at a higher competitive standard.

Background of the System's Creation

Previously, for university players to compete in a League H team, they were required under regulations to transfer their registration from their student team to a League H team. This process required temporarily deregistering from their university team, and re-registering later involved a mandatory waiting period. As a result, opportunities for students to gain top-level experience while remaining enrolled in university were limited.

Taking these challenges into account, the JHA designed this new system to allow players to accumulate experience at the highest level without giving up their university team registration.

Eligibility and Registration Mechanism

Eligible Players

● First-, second-, and third-year university students currently enrolled and registered with a university team ● Fourth-year students are not eligible (to avoid conflicts with the timing of formal job offers from League H teams, which could interfere with system operations)

Registration Process ● The Japan Handball Association selects candidate players from a development and strengthening perspective ● Coordination with individual League H teams ● A memorandum of understanding is signed among the university, the player, and the host team ● The Japan Handball Association officially certifies the player as a 'Special Designated Player'

Number of Registrations and Contract Type ● Number of players: Up to 2 per League H team ● Contract status: Amateur athlete

Future Plans

The Japan Handball Association is currently proceeding with certification procedures ahead of the 2026–27 League H season kickoff. Certified players will be eligible to participate in official League H matches following the season's opening.

A list of certified Special Designated Players will be announced by the Japan Handball Association once finalized. Details of the system's operational procedures will be coordinated with university teams, the All Japan Student Handball Federation, and League H as necessary.