Strong match with Honey Bee Ishikawa – Japanese top teams with 10 National titles to their name.
Following the withdrawal of HB Ludwigsburg due to financial reasons, Pro Handball USA received numerous approaches from clubs around the world expressing interest in participating in our inaugural Mega Event in August 2026. After careful consideration and multiple meetings with interested and suitable teams, we are pleased to announce the final selection.
While many teams showed great potential, it became clear early on that we had a strong match with Honey Bee Ishikawa – Japanese top teams with 10 National titles to their name. We are proud to welcome them as the fourth and final women’s team for the 2026 Mega Event.
Kenya Tatsuno, Representative Director, The Honey Bee Sports, Ltd.:
“We are honored to be selected for the Pro Handball USA Mega Event and will do our utmost to represent the Asian continent with pride and passion. We hold great respect for the teams from Györ, Odense, and Brest, and look forward to competing against them. We hope the Japanese and Asian communities in the USA will come out to support us during the four matches next summer.”
Morten Soubak, Head coach Japanese National Team
As coach of Japan’s women’s national team, I am pleased that Honey Bee is getting the opportunity to participate in a strong international tournament in the USA. This is exciting not only on behalf of Japanese handball, American handball, but also in terms of the desire to spread the sport of handball to more countries and to introduce, promote, and highlight this beautiful game. I see it as a very great and valuable opportunity for Honey Bee to play against the best club teams in the world, and thereby also the chance to measure themselves against the absolute best and further develop the team through this tournament. Honey Bee has been a powerful force for many years in Japanese women’s handball, with many championship titles to their name. In addition, Honey Bee is also a reliable source of players for our national team.
Mads Hyllested Winther, CEO, Pro Handball USA:
“The inclusion of a top Asian handball team elevates our event to a truly global level, featuring elite handball from three continents. This is a landmark moment for the sport in North America, and Honey Bee Ishikawa will undoubtedly contribute to its success. I would like to personally thank Yusuke Katoku and his team at Sporta Japan for their support and facilitation.”