Group Phase 1 Concludes as Eight Teams Secure World Championship Qualification
The first group phase of the IKF European Korfball Championship 2026 came to a close on Sunday, 18 October, after three intense days of action in Prostějov and Otrokovice.
Sixteen European nations delivered high-quality korfball, clear hierarchy in several pools, and a handful of competitive contests that shaped the path toward both the European title and qualification for the IKF World Korfball Championship 2027 in the Netherlands.
Dominant Performances and Key Results
The four pre-seeded nations — the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and hosts Czechia — all finished top of their respective groups with perfect 3–0 records and 9 points.
In Group A, the reigning world and European champions Netherlands were clinical, highlighted by a 46–8 win over Switzerland. Catalonia secured second place with 6 points after a 21–11 victory over Poland on the final day. Poland finished third and Switzerland bottom.
Belgium were equally authoritative in Group B, including a 35–9 win over Scotland. Portugal claimed the second qualifying place from the group with a convincing 25–7 result against Hungary. Hungary took third and Scotland finished without points.
Germany controlled Group C, closing with a 25–8 win over Serbia. Türkiye edged Slovakia 15–12 to finish second. Slovakia ended third and Serbia fourth.
In Group D, hosts Czechia topped the pool, including a 16–1 victory over Wales. England secured second place with a controlled 17–5 win over Ireland, while Wales finished third and Ireland bottom.
Notable moments included the Netherlands’ margin of victory, Catalonia’s resilience, Portugal’s strong showing, and the hosts’ solid home performances. Overall, the phase produced decisive results at the top while confirming clear separation between the upper and lower halves of each group.
Eight Teams Mathematically Qualified for WKC 2027
Under the qualification criteria for the IKF World Korfball Championship 2027, the top ten teams from the European Championship will qualify (with the Netherlands already secured as hosts).
Following the conclusion of Group Phase 1, the eight teams that advance to the upper section of Group Phase 2 are mathematically certain to finish in the top eight of the championship and are therefore qualified for the World Championship:
- – Netherlands
- – Belgium
- – Germany
- – Czechia Catalonia
- – Portugal
- – Türkiye
- – England
These sides will compete among themselves for final positions 1 to 8. The remaining two European qualification places will be decided by the teams that finish 9th and 10th overall. Those rankings will be determined among the eight teams contesting the lower section of Group Phase 2 and the subsequent placement matches.
Looking Ahead: Group Phase 2 Expectations
Group Phase 2 begins on Tuesday, 20 October, and continues on 21 October. The upper section will feature high-stakes matches among the eight already-qualified sides as they battle for ranking positions and, ultimately, medal contention. Expect strong tactical battles and continued high scoring, particularly involving the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Czechia, while Catalonia, Portugal, Türkiye and England will aim to challenge for the best possible final placements.
In the lower section, the eight teams — Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Wales, Switzerland, Scotland, Serbia and Ireland — will fight for positions 9 to 16. With two World Championship places still available, every result will carry significant weight. Teams will look to build momentum, refine combinations and finish the championship as high as possible.
The format continues with cross-finals and semi-finals on 22 October, placement matches on 23 October, and the medal matches on 24 October in Zlín.
Where to Follow All the Action
Fans can follow every match, result and update through the official channels:
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– Full schedule, match reports, image galleries, videos and more: korfball.sport/ekc2026
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– Live results, statistics, scorers and play-by-play: worldkorfball.sport
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– Live streams: youtube.com/ikfchannel
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– Social media: Follow using #EKC2026 and #korfball on the official IKF platforms for the latest images, clips and highlights.
The International Korfball Federation thanks the Czech Korfball Association and the local organising committee for an excellent start to the championship and looks forward to an exciting second group phase and the decisive matches still to come.