Objectives To examine and compare the impact of bio-banding with regard to age group competition on technical-tactical performance in young male and female handball players. Design An experimental study with a combined retrospective and cross-sectional design based on observational data analysis. Methods By means of the percent of adult height attained estimation method, 86 players (45 boys and 41 girls) were bio-banded as pre-PHV (<89%, boys; <91%, girls), circa-PHV (89-92%, boys; 91-96%, girls), and post-PHV (>92%, boys; >96% girls). All players participated in two game formats — age group and bio-banding competition. Technical-tactical performance was recorded using the `PlayerScore` index and other indicators of game actions. Internal consistency (Cronbach's a and ICC) and inter-observer reliability (Cohen's alpha) were assessed with good or very good levels for all variables. A mixed two-way ANOVA was carried out and Cohen's d effect sizes were calculated for each variable. Results The bio-banding competition had a moderate impact compared to the age group competition on game-specific key technical-tactical performance indicators in boys, significantly increasing the number of `assist-no goal` (p=0.044; np2=0.11), `steal/min` (p=0.039; np2=0.11) and `losing one-on-one` (p=0.028; np2=0.08) in boys and decreasing `winning one-on-one/min` actions (p=0.029; np2=0.11) in girls. However, performance differences in favour of more advanced maturing players regardless of game format were observed in `PlayerScore` in boys (p=0.037; np2=0.08) and in `goal` in girls (p=0.004; np2=0.17). The interaction between game format and maturity status showed pre-PHV boys recorded more `steal/min` (p<0.05; ES=1.70) and post-PHV girls scored more `goal` (p<0.05; ES=1.06) in the bio-banding competition than in the age group competition. Moreover, in the bio-banding competition, higher values for `goal` (p<0.01; ES=1.61), `assist-no goal` (p<0.05; ES=1.57), and `technical error` (p<0.05; ES=1.23) among post-PHV boys, higher values for `steal/min` (p<0.05; ES=1.43) among pre-PHV boys, and higher values for `goal` among post-PHV girls (p<0.05; ES=1.40) were recorded. Conclusions Maturity status-matched competition had a positive but limited effect on technical-tactical performance. This alternative grouping strategy could be considered effective in manipulating the technical-tactical performance of young players.
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