Handball first arrived in Kosovo in the late 1940s, and by 1948 there were several registered clubs starting to compete in informal domestic competitions.

In 1979, whilst part of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo hosted the 1979 Women's Junior World Handball Championship.

After twice winning the bronze medal in the international IHF Trophy for emerging nations, in Kosovo 2015 on home soil and as well in Bulgaria 2017 the team is no longer considered an emerging nation.

Following a lengthy campaign in the 2020 European Men's Handball Championship qualification where Kosovo defeated Israel and drew Poland, the team won a direct spot in the second phase of the upcoming 2022 qualification tournament.

Most recently, at the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship – European qualification tournament, Kosovo drew with Italy and defeated Georgia to take the second place, behind Romania, in the qualifying group.