The IKF Pan-American Korfball Championship 2026 opens this week in Paramaribo, Suriname, where the reigning champions face Brazil for the continental title and a place at the next year’s IKF World Korfball Championship 2027 in the Netherlands.
From 8 to 10 October, the Anthony Nesty Sporthal hosts the championship, organised by the Suriname Korfball Federation with support from the International Korfball Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development and Sport. The hall provides the stage for a best-of-three series between Suriname and Brazil. All three matches will be played.
Latest news (11/10/2026): Suriname retain Pan-American title with commanding series win at PAKC 2026
Match schedule & updated results
- Friday 9 October, 20:00 – Suriname 20-2 Brazil
- Saturday 10 October, 13:00 – Suriname 27-12 Brazil
- Saturday 10 October, 17:15 – Suriname 20-3 Brazil
Game 3 Image Gallery – Photos by MLV Sports
Game 2 Image Gallery – Photos by Kees Slot @diver_kees
Game 1 Image Gallery – Photos by Kees Slot @diver_kees
The winner is crowned Pan-American champion and together with the runner-up, qualifies directly for the IKF World Korfball Championship 2027 in the Netherlands. Suriname enters as defending champion, having claimed the title in 2018 and 2022, and as one of the stronger sides on the IKF world ranking after fifth-place finishes at recent IKF World Korfball Championship. National coach Ivan Karsters has expressed confidence that the team will defend its title in front of a home crowd. Brazil arrives ready to challenge for the continental crown.
Parallel activities
This championship is also part of a wider programme to strengthen korfball in Suriname. Children who have been training since late September at four locations under B-Rec Sport will contest a mini-tournament on Saturday ahead of the international matches. A demonstration match featuring a specially assembled influencer team alongside players from both national squads will introduce the sport to a broader audience. In parallel, a multi-year education track with the School Sport Federation Suriname is training physical-education teachers as korfball instructors, laying the groundwork for a six-year effort to embed the sport in schools and develop local talent for future national teams.
Korfball remains the only team sport in which men and women must play together in the same side, with every player contributing as attacker, defender, assister and scorer. IKF Senior Vice President Jorge Alves highlighted this mixed-gender character as central to the sport’s identity during preparations with Minister Lalinie Gopal and Suriname Korfball Federation representatives.
Where to follow
Fans worldwide can follow every match live at www.worldkorfball.sport, which will carry live scores, statistics, scorers and play-by-play. Updates, galleries and highlights will also appear on the @IKFamericas channels under the hashtags #PAKC2026 and #korfball.
IKF Americas profiles:
► instagram.com/IKFamericas
► facebook.com/IKFamericas
► x.com/IKFamericas
IKF main profiles:
► instagram.com/korfball_org
► facebook.com/korfball.org
► x.com/korfball
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport
Paramaribo is ready. The series that decides the Pan-American champion begins on Friday evening. Good luck to all teams, and enjoy!