RK Maribor

Handball in Maribor

The first handball team in Maribor was formed in 1925, when the women's section of the 1. SSK MB played their first Czech handball match at the Ljudski vrt area. The first men's handball team, named Polet, was formed in 1949. They renamed as Branik in 1951, when they participated in the Yugoslav First League qualifiers. In 1954, Branik won their first Slovenian Republic League title, and were promoted to the Yugoslav First League. Between 1955 and 1968, Branik did not achieve any major success and were even relegated to the local Styrian League in 1966, but returned to the top Slovenian division two years later. They were relegated again in 1972, but once again returned in 1979 after spending a few years in the local regional leagues. In 1977, the team merged with Kovinar Tezno to form Maribor. The team was struggling in the next decade and did not achieve any major results. After Slovenia's independence in 1991, the team was reformed with a help from some former handball players, including Marko Šibila, and reached the Third National Handball League (3. DRL).

Maribor Branik

In 2003, a new club called Maribor Branik was founded. In their first season, the team was promoted to the 2. DRL East. In 2005–06, they were promoted to the 1. B DRL, where they stayed until the 2008–09 season, when the team was promoted to the top tier Slovenian First League of Handball. In the same year, they also finished third in the Slovenian Handball Cup. In their first season in the top division, they finished eighth and were runners-up of the Slovenian Handball Cup, where they lost to Celje in the final. As runners-up, they gained a place in the 2010–11 EHF Cup Winners' Cup. They reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to the Spanish side San Antonio. In the same season, Branik finished fifth in the league. They again finished fifth in the 2011–12 season, and were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2011–12 EHF Challenge Cup by Maccabi Tel Aviv from Israel. The most successful international season for the club was in 2012–13, when they reached the group stages of the EHF Cup, defeating Dudelange, Kópavogs and Siscia in the qualifications. They were drawn in the group with Danish team Tvis Holstebro, Norwegian Elverum and Polish Wisła Płock. With seven points out of six games, Maribor Branik qualified to the quarter-finals of the competition, where they were eliminated by Göppingen with 57–56 on aggregate. In 2013–14 and 2014–15, the club finished third in the Slovenian League, which is their best result since the establishment. The club was about to enter the regional SEHA League alongside Celje and Gorenje in the 2014–15 season, but all three Slovenian clubs refused entry due to unacceptable financial requirements. In the 2016–17 season, Maribor Branik reached the final of the Slovenian Cup for the second time in its history, where they lost to Celje 36–28.