IKF World Congress 2025 to Unite Global Korfball Community in Lisbon

Delegates from around the world will gather in Portugal for two days of connection, growth, and inspiration.

The International Korfball Federation (IKF) is set to host the IKF World Congress 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal, on 17–18 October 2025. This crucial event will welcome delegates, national federations, and korfball leaders from across the world to share insights, ideas, and strategies that will shape the future of the sport.

Held under the powerful theme “Korfball Together: Connecting, Growing, Inspiring,” the Congress features a two-day programme of discussions and presentations centered on:

  • Equality and Inclusion
  • Innovation and Digital Transformation
  • Collaboration and Partnerships
  • Sustainable Global Development

A Programme of Global Voices

IKF President Gabi Kool will open the Congress on Friday with a session reflecting on the significant progress made since the last Congress in 2023.

Over the two days, participants will explore key themes with speakers and panelists representing a diverse range of countries and experiences. Delegates will have the opportunity to engage in focused sessions, including:

  • Korfball Inspiring Equality and Inclusion Globally – with Joana Faria (POR), Silvia Silva (POR), Christie Smillie (SCO), Ahmed El-Bakry (EGY) and Mario Santos (POR)
  • Engage and Grow: Building Korfball’s Global Audience – led by Dean Woods (ENG), Gertrude de Vries (NED), Ben Mansvelder (BEL) and Gabi Kool (NED)
  • Digital Tools for a Stronger Korfball – featuring Michael Janssens (BEL), Yves Daelmans (BEL) and Guo Qilin (CHN)
  • From Good to Great: Rethinking Korfball – facilitated by Joana Faria (POR)

The Congress will conclude on Saturday with a final session from IKF President Gabi Kool, who will outline how the korfball community can build on the sport’s accelerating momentum to expand its reach and impact worldwide.

Event Overview

The IKF World Congress takes place every two years and serves as the essential platform for collaboration, reflection, and inspiration for the global korfball family.

IKF World Congress 2025

🗓️ 17–18 October 2025
📍 Lisbon, Portugal
🎯 Theme: Korfball Together – Connecting, Growing, Inspiring

Follow the IKF channels on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X for live updates, photos, and key takeaways throughout the event!

A New Era for Korfball Begins – Urban Korfball – Lisbon Unlocked 2025

We are excited to share a bold new step for korfball: the launch of Urban Korfball, a dynamic new format designed to bring the game closer to people and communities everywhere.

The first-ever international event, IKF Urban Korfball – Lisbon Unlocked 2025, takes place from 14 to 16 October 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal, at Praça de Londres.

📍 Location: Praça de Londres, 1000-189 Lisboa, Portugal

This three-day event marks the beginning of an exciting journey – the introduction of a new format of korfball, designed to bring the game to urban spaces and new audiences around the world.

What is Urban Korfball?

Urban Korfball is a dynamic, inclusive, and fast-paced version of the sport, created to thrive in city environments. With smaller courts, shorter matches, and an emphasis on creativity and flow, it captures the spirit of korfball in a modern, accessible format.

It’s about energy, innovation, and community – korfball reimagined for the streets, plazas, and playgrounds of today’s world.

👉 You can learn more about the concept and rules in the official summary here.

3 days to Learn, Compete, and Connect

Over three days, Lisbon will become the heart of Urban Korfball. The event will bring together players, coaches, referees, and fans from around the world to experience, test, and shape this new discipline.

Through workshops, demonstration games, and open competitions, participants will have the chance to explore every aspect of Urban Korfball – from its innovative rules to its potential as a global movement.

“It’s a new format. A new spirit. A shared challenge. This is more than just a new event – it’s the beginning of a new discipline. Let’s build it together.”

Follow the Action

Stay up to date with all the highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, and live updates from Lisbon on Instagram.

Australia Crowned 2025 IKF Oceania Korfball Champions

Australia beat New Zealand in the final and decisive third match to win the IKF Oceania Korfball Championship 2025 that took place from 19 to 21 September in Bacchus Marsh (Melbourne, Australia).

This event was hosted by the Australian Korfball Association, with the New Zealand and Australia national teams competing for this continental trophy. Three exciting days, in which the Kiwis started leading the series 0-1 after scoring a winning golden goal in the 1st match (16-17). The host team was confident that this situation could be reversed, and they showed it by winning the 2nd duel (22-15) and making the last encounter the decisive one.

This 3rd and final game was very tight during the 1st half, but in the 3rd quarter, the Australians were able to gain a comfortable advantage, increasing their scoring percentage, which allowed them to play comfortably and give no options of a comeback to its rival (18-10). In the end, 1-2 in favor of Australia that raised this 2025 Oceania trophy.

Katelyn Louise Huata-Chapman from New Zealand was the top scorer of the tournament with 12 goals, followed by her teammate Per Tonascia, with 11 goals, the same as Darian Huddleston and Jessica Phillips from Australia.

IKF AOK 2025 Results & Streams

IKF AOK 2025
19 Sept – AUS 16-17 NZL (GG) | Live Stream | Live statistics
20 Sept – AUS 22-15 NZL | Live StreamLive statistics
21 Sept – AUS 18-10 NZL |  Live Stream | Live statistics

All fans around the world could watch and follow this tournament live on www.worldkorfball.sport and youtube.com/@ikfoceania (with live results, statistics, scorers, play-by-play …), as well as some highlights and images on social media on the hashtags #okc and #korfball.

AOKC Live streams playlist

AUSTRALIAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENT

In parallel to this Oceania championship, the development teams of both countries also played their own youth tournament, which ended 1-2 in favor of NZL. But most importantly, it was a fantastic occasion to keep developing and improving the level of all these young players, who are the future stars that will lead their national squads in the next years.

New Zealand Development Team

19 Sept – AUS Dev. 10-16 NZL Dev. | Stream
20 Sept – AUS Dev. 11-20 NZL Dev. | Stream
21 Sept – AUS Dev. 14-9 NZL Dev. | Stream

Image gallery (OKC Game 3)

Image gallery (OKC Game 2)

Image gallery (OKC Game 1)

On social media

You can find all this content and much more visiting the @IKFoceania profiles or following the official IKF profiles (see below):

► facebook.com/ikfoceania
► instagram.com/ikfoceania
x.com/ikfoceania

IKF Official profiles

► facebook.com/korfball.org
► instagram.com/korfball_org
x.com/korfball
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

Previous related info

IKF Oceania Korfball Championship 2025 Heats Up from 19 to 21 September!

The IKF Oceania Korfball Championship 2025 is taking place from 19 to 21 September in Bacchus Marsh, Melbourne, Australia.

This event is hosted by the Australian Korfball Association, with the New Zealand and Australia national teams competing for this continental trophy.

Latest news:
22/9/2025 – Australia Crowned 2025 IKF Oceania Korfball Champions

All fans around the world can watch and follow this tournament live on www.worldkorfball.sport and youtube.com/@ikfoceania (with live results, statistics, scorers, play-by-play …), as well as on social media on the hashtags #okc and #korfball.

Live streams playlist

Match Schedule & Results

AUSTRALIA vs NEW ZEALAND
19 Sept – 18:15 AEST, 17:45 ACST | AUS 16-17 NZL (GG) | Live Stream | Live statistics & stream
20 Sept – 16:15 AEST, 15:45 ACST | AUS 22-15 NZL | Live StreamLive statistics
21 Sept – 13:15 AEST, 12:45 ACST | AUS 18-10 NZL |  Live Stream | Live statistics

AUSTRALIAN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TOURNAMENT
AUSTRALIA DEV. vs NEW ZEALAND DEV.
19 Sept – 16:30 AEST, 16:00 ACST – Stream
20 Sept – 14:30 AEST, 14:00 ACST – Stream
21 Sept – 11:30 AEST, 11:00 ACST – Stream

Image gallery (OKC Game 3)

Image gallery (OKC Game 2)

Image gallery (OKC Game 1)

On social media

You can find all this content and much more visiting the @IKFoceania profiles or following the official IKF profiles (see below):

► facebook.com/ikfoceania
► instagram.com/ikfoceania
x.com/ikfoceania

IKF Official profiles

► facebook.com/korfball.org
► instagram.com/korfball_org
x.com/korfball
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

History-maker Huang (TPE) Named IWGA Athlete of the Month After TWG 2025 Triumph

The International Korfball Federation congratulates Ying-Ting Huang (Chinese Taipei), who has today been named International World Games Association (IWGA) Athlete of the Month for August 2025 following his outstanding performances at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China.

Huang played a decisive role in Chinese Taipei’s Beach Korfball success, scoring last-second winning goals in both the semifinal against Belgium and the final against the Netherlands. These dramatic moments secured his place in The World Games history and earned him this recognition.

Decisive Performances

Reflecting on the semifinal, Huang explained:

“In the dying moments against Belgium, our original game plan was to target the female matchups. But as the clock wound down, no clear opening appeared… A senior teammate trusted me with the ball, and in that perfect moment where timing, trust, and instinct came together, I pulled the trigger. The shot dropped.” (theworldgames.org)

In the gold medal match against the Netherlands, he kept his composure under immense pressure:

“I calculated that if I released the ball with two seconds left, even a miss would leave the Dutch with no chance to respond… When it swished through, it wasn’t just the end of the match—it was proof of our team’s relentless fight until the very last second.”

Teamwork and Equality

Huang emphasised that these moments were only possible because of the team’s collective effort:

“Yes, I happened to score the golden goals, but every step leading up to them was paved by my teammates, coaches, and staff… The gold medal wasn’t mine. It was ours.”

He also highlighted korfball’s unique character as a mixed-gender sport:

“Unlike most sports that separate men and women, korfball’s mixed format feels natural and truly equal… That’s the beauty of korfball—it’s not just a sport, it’s a real expression of equality.”

Looking Ahead

On receiving the Athlete of the Month award, Huang described it as a personal milestone, while keeping his focus firmly on the future:

“We’ve made history once, but to repeat or surpass it will take even more effort. Moving forward, I’ll keep grinding and chasing greater goals, together with this amazing team.”


Read the full story on The World Games website:

History-maker Huang (TPE) named Athlete of the Month after TWG 2025 triumph

Dutch Triumph in IKF Beach Korfball World Cup (Europe) 2025

The Netherlands are the winners of the IKF Beach Korfball World Cup (Europe) 2025, played in Stockholm during these last two days. From August 29 to 30, 2025, twelve teams from three different continents were competing for a place on the podium of this Beach Korfball Cup played in Europe.

The Dutch team defeated Czechia in the final by 6-10, completing a perfect tournament with zero losses. Together with the Czech squad (silver), Hungary completed the podium, winning the bronze medal match against Poland by 11-7 in a very exciting match.

Gold medal: The Netherlands (Marco Spelten)

Gold medal: The Netherlands (Marco Spelten)

Silver medal: Czechia (Marco Spelten)

Silver medal: Czechia (Marco Spelten)

Bronze medal: Hungary (Marco Spelten)

Bronze medal: Hungary (Marco Spelten)

This event was successfully hosted by the Swedish Korfball Committee (SKC) in collaboration with the International Korfball Federation and IKF Europe.

This was the 1st of the Beach Korfball World Cups scheduled to be played during this year, together with the ones in Abidjan (Ivory Coast, Africa) and Adelaide (Australia, Oceania), and add points to the IKF Beach Korfball World Ranking.

Final Results and Ranking

Daily Streams

Day 2 Image Gallery & Medal ceremony  📷 By Marco Spelten

Day 2 Image Gallery  📷 By Marco Spelten

Day 1 Image Gallery  📷 By Marco Spelten

Where to follow

All fans around the world were able to watch and follow this tournament live on youtube.com/ikfchannel and on www.worldkorfball.sport (with live results and streams, statistics, scorers, play-by-play, …), as well as on social media on @BeachKorfball profiles (see below) and the hashtags #BKWC, #beachkorfball and #korfball, with the best image galleries, clips and highlights.

IKF Beach Korfbal profiles:

► instagram.com/beachkorfball
► facebook.com/beachkorfball
► tiktok.com/@beachkorfball

You can find all this content and much more visiting the following official IKF profiles:

► instagram.com/korfball_org
► facebook.com/korfball.org
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

 

Catch the IKF Beach Korfball World Cup (Europe) 2025 – Live from Sweden! (29-30 Aug)

The IKF Beach Korfball World Cup (Europe) 2025 will be held in Stockholm, Sweden, from August 29 to 30, 2025. This event follows the recent intense emotions and excitement that were experienced during The World Games Beach Korfball competition, in which Chinese Taipei secured the gold medal over the Netherlands with an unforgettable buzzer beater in the final seconds.

This event is hosted by the Swedish Korfball Committee (SKC) in collaboration with the International Korfball Federation and IKF Europe, and will host 12 participant teams from three different continents.

UPDATE 30/8/2025 – 19:30 pm: Dutch Triumph in IKF Beach Korfball World Cup (Europe) 2025

This is the 1st of the Beach Korfball World Cups scheduled to be played during this year, together with the ones in Abidjan (Ivory Coast, Africa) and Adelaide (Australia, Oceania), and add points to the IKF Beach Korfball World Ranking.

Final Results and Ranking

Daily Streams

Day 2 Image Gallery II & Medal ceremony  📷 By Marco Spelten

Day 2 Image Gallery I  📷 By Marco Spelten

Day 1 Image Gallery  📷 By Marco Spelten

Where to follow

All fans around the world will be able to watch and follow this tournament live on youtube.com/ikfchannel and on www.worldkorfball.sport (with live results and streams, statistics, scorers, play-by-play, …), as well as on social media on @BeachKorfball profiles (see below) and the hashtags #BKWC, #beachkorfball and #korfball, with the best image galleries, clips and highlights.

IKF Beach Korfbal profiles:

► instagram.com/beachkorfball
► facebook.com/beachkorfball
► tiktok.com/@beachkorfball

You can find all this content and much more visiting the following official IKF profiles:

► instagram.com/korfball_org
► facebook.com/korfball.org
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport

Promotional video

Groups

Group Phase Live Draw: 21/8/2025 – 20:30 CEST

Chinese Taipei Triumph in Thrilling Final to Win Beach Korfball Gold at The World Games 2025

The Beach Korfball competition at The World Games 2025 came to a thrilling conclusion today at the Xinglong Lake Beach Arena, as Chinese Taipei claimed the Gold medal with a dramatic last-second victory over the Netherlands.

Gold Medal – Chinese Taipei

In a gripping final, the Netherlands – favourites after their dominant performances in the group stage and semi-finals – looked set to add another title to their record. But with the scores tied in the dying seconds, Ying-Ting HUANG struck from distance for two points, sealing an unforgettable 8-6 win and sparking wild celebrations from the Chinese Taipei players and fans alike.

HUANG has been the standout star of the tournament, also scoring the decisive golden goal in the semi-final against Belgium that sent Chinese Taipei into the final. To then repeat the feat on the biggest stage of all, and against one of the sport’s most successful nations, will go down as one of the iconic moments in Beach Korfball history.

Silver Medal – The Netherlands

In the Bronze medal match, Belgium defeated Hungary 10-5 to secure their place on the podium, bouncing back strongly after their narrow semi-final loss to Chinese Taipei.

Bronze Medal – Belgium

The Beach Korfball competition at The World Games 2025 has provided three days of world-class action, showcasing athleticism, teamwork, and drama in abundance. From buzzer-beaters to golden goals, the event has once again underlined the excitement and global growth of the sport.

👉 More coverage, photos, and highlights from the medal matches will follow soon on korfball.sport and IKF social media channels.

Image gallery  📷 Gertrude de Vries

Beach Korfball The World Games 2025 – Final Day Arrives

Morning Session Complete

he Beach Korfball finals at the Xinglong Lake Beach Arena are heating up, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This morning’s semi-final showdowns are now in the books, and the pathway to the podium is shaping up with intense, edge-of-your-seat action.

Morning Results:

As a result:

  • Final (Gold Medal Match) will be Netherlands vs Chinese Taipei.
  • Bronze Medal Match will feature Hungary vs Belgium.
  • 5th Place Play-Off: China vs Poland.
  • 7th Place Play-Off: USA vs Australia.

What’s Next:

The afternoon holds the placement battles that will determine the final standings—from 8th place all the way up to the gold medal match.

 

Final Day Arrives

Sunday, 17 August 2025 – After two intense days of thrilling action at the Xinglong Lake Beach Arena, the Beach Korfball competition at The World Games 2025 has reached its final day. Today, the medals will be decided.

The morning session will feature the eagerly anticipated semi-finals, before the afternoon session deliver the placing matches, culminating in the battle for bronze and the all-important gold medal final.

Fans around the world can look forward to a dramatic conclusion to what has already been an unforgettable showcase of beach korfball, filled with high-level skill, athleticism, and passion.

Quarter Final Action Recap

The quarter finals delivered drama, excitement, and plenty of highlights as teams fought for their place in today’s semi-finals.

Netherlands vs USA

The Netherlands came out strong, opening with an early two-pointer to take a 2-0 lead. The USA quickly responded, levelling the score at 2-2 with over four minutes to play in the first quarter. The Dutch struck twice to regain the advantage at 4-2, before a fast break pushed the gap to 5-2. A penalty just before the whistle saw the Netherlands close the first quarter ahead 6-2.

Momentum stayed with the Dutch in the second quarter. A running-in shot extended their lead to 7-2, and soon they were in full control at 10-2 with four minutes left. Both sides thrilled the crowd by trading long-range two-pointers, but the Netherlands remained firmly in command and sealed a 13-8 victory to advance to the semi-finals.

Chinese Taipei vs Australia

Chinese Taipei opened the scoring with a penalty to lead 1-0, before Australia equalised at 1-1 with four minutes to play in the first quarter. A medium shot restored Chinese Taipei’s advantage at 2-1, but Australia quickly tied it again at 2-2.

A sharp two-pointer pushed Chinese Taipei ahead 4-2, and another long-range strike made it 5-2. Australia answered with a two-pointer of their own to close the gap to 5-4, but a fast break soon had Chinese Taipei 6-4 ahead. A late Australian penalty kept it close at 6-5 at the end of the quarter.

Chinese Taipei started the second period strongly with a two-pointer to extend their lead to 8-5, and with four minutes remaining they were in full control at 10-5. Although both sides continued to trade goals in the closing stages, Chinese Taipei held firm to claim a 15-11 victory and secure their place in the semi-finals.

China vs Belgium

China struck first with a cut-in shot to lead 1-0 with five minutes to play in the opening quarter. Both sides then went scoreless until Belgium equalised with a tough finish to make it 1-1, before adding another to edge ahead 1-2 at the first break.

Belgium came out firing in the second quarter, landing a two-pointer to extend their lead to 1-4, followed quickly by a medium shot for 1-5 with over four minutes left. China could only manage one more goal as Belgium dominated both ends of the pitch, closing out a commanding 2-13 victory to book their semi-final place.

Hungary vs Poland

Both teams traded early goals to make it 1-1 with over four minutes to play in a tense battle for a semi-final spot. Poland edged ahead with a medium shot for 1-2, but Hungary quickly equalised 2-2. After Hungary missed a penalty, Poland capitalised on the rebound to lead 2-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter opened with both sides exchanging two-pointers, with Hungary holding a narrow 6-5 advantage. Poland replied with a cut-in to level 6-6, then converted a penalty to move ahead 6-7 with just over a minute remaining. In the final moments, Hungary struck a dramatic buzzer-beater two-pointer from the corner to snatch an 8-7 victory and send their supporters into wild celebrations.

Semi-Finals Line-Up

The stage is now set for today’s decisive matches. First up on Day 3 are the semi-finals:

  • SF3 (10:00) – USA vs Poland
  • SF4 (10:20) – China vs USA
  • SF1 (10:40) – Netherlands vs Hungary
  • SF2 (11:00) – Chinese Taipei vs Belgium

With a place in the medal matches on the line, the action promises to be fast, fierce, and full of drama.

Beach Korfball at The World Games – Day 1 Recap & Day 2 Preview

Day 2 Update

The second day of Beach Korfball action at The World Games 2025 is well underway at Xinglong Lake Beach Arena in Chengdu, China — and the excitement is building as the quarter-finalists are now confirmed!

Morning Session Results – Saturday, 16 August
  • POL 5–16 NED
  • TPE 7–4 HUN
  • CHN 18–6 USA
  • BEL 15–3 AUS

These results complete the group stage and lock in the teams advancing to the Quarter-Finals this evening.

Quarter-Final Line-Up
  • QF1: NED vs USA
  • QF2: TPE vs AUS
  • QF3: CHN vs BEL
  • QF4: HUN vs POL

The winners of tonight’s quarter-finals will move on to tomorrow afternoon’s semi-finals, while the defeated teams will continue into placement matches.

The Road Ahead

With the semi-finals just around the corner, we’re approaching the business end of the competition. The top teams are hitting peak form, and the intensity on the sand is rising with every match. Who will make it through to the final four and keep their gold medal dreams alive?

Stay tuned and follow all the action live on The World Games website and apps!

Day 1 Recap & Day 2 Preview

Beach Korfball has arrived at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, and the opening day at Xinglong Lake Beach Arena gave fans plenty to enjoy. Fast matches, spectacular goals, and lots of drama made the debut of the sport at The World Games one to remember.

What happened on Day 1

The Netherlands showed why they are favourites, beating Australia 18-0 before winning a key match against Belgium 11-4.

Belgium had earlier produced one of the standout results of the day, defeating Poland 16-6. The margin came as a surprise to many, given Poland’s experience and the fact they were World Beach Korfball Champions in 2022. That win leaves Belgium in a strong position going into the second day.

In Group B, Chinese Taipei looked sharp from the start. They defeated the USA 8-5 and then comfortably beat hosts China 14-3 to finish the day unbeaten. The USA recovered from their opening loss by edging Hungary 8-7 in one of the closest games of the day.

Hungary picked up their first win against China, who had the support of the home crowd but couldn’t find a breakthrough.

Day 1 standings

Group A
  • Netherlands – 2 wins, 0 losses – 6 points
  • Belgium – 1 win, 1 loss – 3 points
  • Poland – 1 win, 1 loss – 3 points
  • Australia – 0 wins, 2 losses – 0 points

 

Group B
  • Chinese Taipei – 2 wins, 0 losses – 6 points
  • Hungary – 1 win, 1 loss – 4 points
  • USA – 1 win, 1 loss – 2 points
  • China – 0 wins, 2 losses – 0 points

What’s next on Day 2

Saturday will decide who reaches the semi-finals. Big games include Poland vs Netherlands and Chinese Taipei vs Hungary, before the evening quarter-finals. With the medal matches tomorrow, every point today will matter.

Follow the action

Fans can follow everything on our social media channels, where we share match recaps, interviews, highlights and the best goals of the day.

All games are streamed live and free at live.theworldgames.org and on The World Games Live app, available on both iOS and Android.

Check back later today for the evening results and the full picture heading into finals day.

Day 1 Image gallery  📷 Gertrude de Vries