New Experimental Rules to Speed Up the Game
The International Korfball Federation (IKF) is inviting national federations to test a set of new rule experiments during the 2025/26 domestic season. These ideas were first trialled at the 2024 Korfball Champions League – including Round 2, the Satellite, and the Challenger events – with positive results.
The goal is to simplify the game, speed up play, and make matches more enjoyable for both players and fans.
Proposed Rule Experiments:
Timeouts in Possession
Teams would be allowed to call a timeout while they have the ball. This removes the need for unnecessary fouls or stoppages to pause the game. It gives coaches a chance to make quick decisions without interrupting the natural flow of play.
Restart Changes
Restarts would become more open, allowing defenders to challenge immediately and attackers to shoot directly from the restart. This removes the 2.5m passing rule and 4-second limit, creating a faster and more instinctive style of play.
Clock Sync with Play
The match clock and shot clock would start when the ball is touched, not when the referee blows the whistle. This helps avoid time-wasting and ensures the clock only runs when play is actually in motion.
National federations are encouraged to test these rule changes during their own competitions. Any federation taking part must include the temporary rule text provided by the IKF in their domestic competition regulations. Federations are also asked to share feedback on:
- Which experiments they plan to test
- Which competitions they’ll use
- How the changes impact the game
This feedback will help the IKF Playing Rules Committee decide which changes to keep, adjust, or drop. More information, including the full wording of the trial rules, is available through your national federation.
Header image: Marco Spelten – actiefotografie.nl
