KIF Kolding

KIF Kolding is a professional handball club based in Kolding, Denmark who competes in the Danish Handball League. KIF Kolding has won the Danish Handball Championship a record 14 times.

KIF Kolding
Full name	Kolding Idrætsforening Håndbold
Founded	14 March 1941; 84 years ago (1941-03-14)
Arena	Sydbank Arena
Capacity	5,100
President	Christian Phillip
Head coach	Julie Loop
League	1st Division
2024–25	Håndboldligaen, 14th of 14
Website Official site

It is a part of the broader sports association Kolding Idræts Forening.

History

KIF Kolding

KIF Handball was formed in 1941 and quickly became a popular feature in the city. In the 1950's a sports venue specifically for handball was built.

It was promoted to the Danish 1st division (the highest league at the time) in 1984 and was relegated again for 41 years.^[1]

KIF Kolding won its first Danish Handball Championship in 1987. From 1987 to 2009 KIF won the Danish Handball Championship 12 times.

In 1998 the professional first team became an independent company under the name "Kolding IF Håndbold Elite A/S" in order to better manage the economic risks of being a professional club.

In the summer of 2011 the women team of the club became an independent club called Vejen EH.^[2] Vejen EH did however go bankrupt in 2014 and ceased to exists.^[3]

KIF Kolding København

KIF Kolding København was formed in August 2012 after AG København went bankrupt. Some of the players from AG København joined the players from KIF, most notably the national team players, Lars Jørgensen, Kasper Hvidt and Joachim Boldsen. This prompted some of AGK's sponsors to also joined KIF under the new name.^[4][5] KIF Kolding København played some home games in Kolding and some in Brøndby. KIF won the Danish Handball Championship 2 times under the name KIF Kolding København.

KIF Kolding

On 31 March 2018 KIF announced in a press release, that the club will drop the Copenhagen part of the club and will again be known as KIF Kolding.^[6] The national team profiles Lars Jørgensen, Kasper Hvidt and Joachim Boldsen, who all came from AG København, had been able to create interest from fans and sponsors in the capital area, but since they had retired, the number of spectators in Brøndby Hallen had begun to fall as a consequence. This started the debate to focus on Kolding alone.^[6]

A new board was established and long time director Jens Boessen stepped down. 9 million DKK was invested into the club and old creditors written off debt of 11 million DKK.^[7]

In the 2021-22 season the club was mere 7 seconds from relegation, when Peter Balling secured a draw against TTH Holstebro, which kept them safe.^[8] They finished with 19 points, the same amount as relegated TMS Ringsted, but they had a better head-to-head record.^[9] The team would continue to be involved in relegation battles the following seasons.^[10]

In the 2024-25 season KIF Kolding where relegated after 41 years continuously in the top flight, after finishing last in the regular season.^[1] They won a sole 2 matches during the season, gaining 10 points.^[11] During the season they fired no less than two head coaches, Sebastian Seifert and Kristian Kristensen.^[12] After the season they also fired the director, Christian Hjermind.^[13]

KIF Vamdrup

In 2007 KIF Vamdrup was created as union between KIF Kolding and Vamdrup IF, which was intended as a 2nd team for KIF Kolding.^{[citation needed]}

Honours

• Danish Handball League: 14 (record)
  •  Gold:1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2014–15
• Danish Handball Cup: 8
  •  Gold:1989–90, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2012–13
• Double

Winners (4): 1989–90, 1993–94, 2001–02, 2004–05

• Danish Super Cup
  •  Gold: 2014, 2015

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2025-26 season

Goalkeeper 01 Emil Tellerup 16 Thorsten Fries Wingers LW 04 Lars Skaarup 22 Frederik Bay RW 27 Sebastian Bertelsen 28 Andreas Aagren Line players 02 Mads Kragh Thomsen 06 Jonas Bruus Tidemand 18 Benjamin Pedersen

Back players LB 09 Mads Hoé Jørgensen 11 Cornelius Kragh Aastrup 17 Tobias Ellebæk CB 15 Jens Svane Peschardt (c) 21 Kristian Stoklund 23 Viktor Ahlstrand RB 25 Markus Bugge

Transfers

Transfers for the season 2025-26

Joining Anders Eggert (Head Coach) (from SG Flensburg-Handewitt) Thorsten Fries (GK) (from Fredericia HK) Cornelius Kragh Aastrup (LB) (from Dunkerque Handball) Mads Hoé Jørgensen (LB) (promotion from youth) Andreas Aagren (RW) (from Skanderborg AGF Håndbold)

Leaving Josip Cavar (GK) (to Amo Handboll) Anton Hellberg (GK) (to ?) Lauritz Reinholdt Legér (LB) (to Ribe-Esbjerg HH) Magnus Kronborg (CB) (to Skive fH) Diogo Silva (RB) (to ?) Viktor Nevers (RW) (retires) Mathias Hedegaard (P) (retires) Victor Lyngsø (P) (to Give HK) Oliver Norlyk (RB) to HSV Hamburg

Staff

Pos.	Name
Head coach	Kristian Kristensen
Assistant coach	Kristian Danielsen
Goalkeeper coach	Anders Petersen
Team Leader	Anders Skøtt Bruun
Physiotherapist	Morten U. Olesen

Notable former players

Men

• Bo Spellerberg
• Boris Schnuchel
• Christian Hjermind
• Claus Flensborg
• Henrik Møllgaard
• Jesper Nøddesbo
• Joachim Boldsen
• Kasper Hvidt
• Lars Christiansen
• Lars Krogh Jeppesen
• Lars T. Jørgensen
• Lasse Andersson
• Lasse Boesen
• Magnus Landin Jacobsen
• Rene Toft Hansen
• Torsten Laen
• Albert Rocas
• Mateo Garralda
• Niko Mindegía
• Antonio García Robledo
• Fábio Chiuffa
• Bilal Šuman
• Muhamed Toromanović
• Ratko Nikolić
• Konstantin Igropulo
• Ole Erevik (2008-2011)
• Petter Øverby
• Fredrik Ohlander
• Kim Andersson
• Philip Stenmalm
• Ólafur Stefánsson

Notable former coaches

• Bilal Šuman
• Aron Kristjánsson
• Antonio Carlos Ortega