The Portuguese city of Lisbon is hosting the exciting Challenger Final of the IKF Korfball Champions League 2023-24 between 26th and 28th January 2024. This 2nd European club final event follows last weekend’s KCL Satellite Final in Türkiye, that ended with the German Schweriner KC rising the champions trophy.

UPDATE: 28/1/2024 (19:00h): KK Brno triumphs at the KCL Challenger Final 2024! – Final report and podium images

At this higher level at the KCL 2023-24, fans will witness the incredible skill, teamwork, and athleticism of Trojans Korfball Club (England), Korfbal Club Barcelona (Catalonia), MKS Marcovia Marki (Poland), and Brno Korfball Club (Czech Republic) as they battle for championship glory. These teams qualified after finishing numbers 2 and 3 of the IKF Korfball Champions League Round 2 that took place one month ago in Marki, Poland.

The number ones of that event qualified for the upcoming big KCL Final, scheduled for 7-10 February 2024 in Papendrecht, where the Dutch, Belgian and German champions also await. 

But now, it’s time to know which team will succeed TuS Shildgen as the new Challenger Final champion! Don’t miss out on this electrifying event! Visit https://korfball.sport/kcl for all the details and follow us on social media for the latest updates. 

The IKF extends its deepest gratitude to Núcleo Corfebol Benfica for organising and hosting the event, and to Federação Portuguesa de Corfebol (FPC) for their support. 

UPDATE 28/1/2024: Image gallery here

Day 3 Recap

In a thrilling showcase of skill and sportsmanship, Brno Korfball Club from the Czech Republic emerged victorious in the Challenger Final with a dominating 20-13 victory against Trojans (ENG). 

MKS Marcovia Marki vs. KC Barcelona (15-16)

The stage was then set for the final showdown between Barcelona, a powerhouse in Catalan korfball, and Marcovia Marki from Poland. This match was a true nail-biter, with both teams showcasing their impressive skill and athleticism. The lead changed hands several times throughout the game, and the tension was palpable. 

In the end, it was Marki who emerged victorious by the narrowest of margins, pulling off a stunning 15-16 victory, with Natalia KLIMCZYK scoring the winning goal in the final seconds immediately after two brilliant goals from Barcelona’s Javier SANCHEZ who had thought he had sent his team into extra-time. 

This match provided a thrilling climax to an intense competition over the last 3 days. Brno’s clinical performance and Marki’s stunning upset will be remembered for a long time. 

Photos: Tomas Correia

Photos: Luis Silva

KK Brno vs. Trojans KC (20-13)

The Korfball Champions League Challenger Final reached its thrilling conclusion on Sunday, with two matches that kept fans on the edge of their seats. In the first game, Brno from the Czech Republic faced off against Trojans from England, with the championship title hanging in the balance. 

Going into the match Brno had won one and lost one so knew that this was a must win game against the unbeaten Trojans. Brno put on a dominant display, securing a decisive 20-13 victory. The team’s relentless pressure and accurate shooting proved too much for Trojans, who fought valiantly but ultimately couldn’t match Brno’s firepower. Brno’s Jan THEISSIG top scored in the match with 6 goals, closely followed by teammate Peter BUŠÍK with 5 of his own goals. 

Photos: Tomas Correia

Photos: Angelo Pacheco

Day 2 Recap 

MKS Marcovia Marki vs. Trojans KC (13-17) 

The day started off with an electrifying clash between MKS Marcovia Marki and Trojans KC, a match that had spectators on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. The teams battled fiercely, displaying teamwork and individual brilliance, the teams could not be separated at half-time with the scores tied at 10-10. 

The back-and-forth action resumed in the second half with Marcovia Marki making a perfect start with goals from Kacper NOWAK and Krzysztof RUBINKOWSKI. After this the team from Poland only scored once more during the match. Trojans stepped up their defensive pressure forcing Marcovia into many one-shot attacks, and most importantly continued to convert their shots into goals, resulting in a final score of 13-17. Dominic BROOKS top scored in the match with nine goals. 

Photos: Tomas Correia

Barcelona KC vs. Brno KK (21-18) 

Match 4 at the Challenger Final witnessed a heart-stopping encounter between Barcelona KC and Brno KK, with the Catalan giants ultimately securing a narrow 21-18 victory. 

From the get-go, the clash was a display of fierce determination and tactical prowess. Both teams traded goals early on, showcasing equal offensive firepower. Brno KK’s agile approach kept them in the hunt, while Barcelona KC relied on the clinical shooting of their experienced attackers. It was Brno that went into the half-time break ahead 7-9. 

The second half was a thrilling encounter showcasing the best of korfball, with both teams demonstrating skill, athleticism, and tactical awareness. Javier SANCHEZ scored 7 goals in the match for Barcelona, but it was the team from the Czech Republic who were overall the strongest, their experience showed in the final period, resulting in a final score of 21-18.  

The final day of the IKF Champions League Challenger Final promises another day of high-octane korfball action. With Trojans (England) and Brno (Czech Republic) going into the final day undefeated we are sure it is going to be spectacular. Make sure you don’t miss it! 

Photos: Rodrigo Barata

 

Day 1 Recap

The opening day of the IKF Korfball Champions League Challenger Final featured two matches; Trojans Korfball Club (ENG) vs. Korfbal Club Barcelona (CAT), followed by MKS Marcovia Marki (POL) vs. KK Brno (CZE).  

In the first game, Trojans KC (England) edged out KC Barcelona (Catalonia) by a score of 19-17. The second match saw Brno KK (Czech Republic) defeat MKS Marcovia Marki (Poland) by a score of 12-20. 

In the Trojans – Barcelona match was a close one throughout, with neither team able to pull away for a significant lead. At the halftime break it was the representative from England that were ahead by one goal (8-7). In the end, it was Trojans KC’s higher shot conversion that made the difference. Barcelona had several chances in the final minutes of the game, but they were unable to convert. Trojans’ Dominic BROOKS and Barcelona’s Javier SANCHEZ shared the top goal scorer accolade with 5 goals each in the match. 

Photos: Tomas Correia

In the second match between MKS Marcovia Marki from Poland and Brno KK from Czech Republic was eventually a comfortable win for the team from Czech Republic. Brno’s Peter BUŠÍK made the perfect start with two quick goals. Both teams traded baskets throughout the first half, but Marcovia were unable level the score. Brno went into the halftime break leading 5-8. In the end, it was the combination of Brno’s strong defence and goals scored by every member of their starting team that proved to be the difference. Vojtech HOLIK top scored in the match with four goals. 

Photos: Tomas Correia

Don’t miss tomorrow’s matches; first up at 11:15am Marcovia Marki will be looking to bounce back from today’s defeat against Trojans from England. The second match on day 2 starts at 13:00hrs will be between Barcelona and Brno. 

Watch all matches live on Youtube.com/ikfchannel

*Click on the top-right icon ≣ to view all games scheduled

Match schedule

Event info: https://korfball.sport/?p=35881

Don’t miss a minute

The IKF Champions League Finals promise an unforgettable korfball spectacle. Follow the action live in Lisbon or catch the livestreams on the IKF YouTube channel or and on www.worldkorfball.sport (with live results and streams, statistics, scorers, play-by-play), as well as on social media on the hashtags #KCL and #korfball, with the best images, clips and highlights.

You can find all this content and much more visiting the following official @IKFKCL profiles (click on the icons), as well as the main IKF main profiles (see below):

📺 Streams  & results ▼	On social media ▼

QUICK CCESS TO ALL INFO:  korfball.sport/KCL
► facebook.com/korfball.org
► twitter.com/korfball
► instagram.com/korfball_org
► tiktok.com/@korfball.sport Previous related news:
24/1 – All ready for the KCL Challenger Final!
20/1 – Schweriner KC (GER) wins the Satellite Final
16/1 – The Satellite Final is ready to start!
30/12 – The Challenger Final is coming to Lisbon!
22/12 – KCL Satellite Final: Match schedule
19/12 – KCL Final: Match schedule
14/12 – KCL Final Groups Live Draw
14/12 – IKF KCL 2024 final group stage draw
3/12 – IKF KCL Round 2 Recap
27/11 – Follow here the KCL R2
25/9 – IKF KCL Round 1 Recap
20/9 – The IKF KCL is ready to start! More info:  https://korfball.sport/ikf-korfball-champions-league-2023-24-refined-set-up