The Netherlands U21 completed a remarkable and unbeaten campaign at the IKF U21 World Korfball Championship 2026, deservedly lifting the world title after defeating Belgium 26–17 in the final.

From the opening stages, the Dutch established themselves as the tournament’s benchmark, combining outstanding attacking efficiency, fast ball circulation and strong defensive organisation. As the competition reached the knockout stages, the Netherlands also showed their ability to win under greater pressure, overcoming Chinese Taipei 14–10 in a closely contested semi-final before producing another powerful attacking performance against Belgium in the final.

Gold medal: The Netherlands U21 (Photo: Marco Spelten)

In the final, Belgium earned silver after a determined effort against eventual champions the Netherlands. The Belgian team pushed hard throughout the match but ultimately lost 26-17, taking home the runners-up medal.

Silver medal: Belgium U21 (Photo: Marco Spelten)

Earlier on the same day, Chinese Taipei claimed bronze by defeating New Zealand 24-11 in a one-sided bronze-medal match, showcasing their attacking strength and securing a well-deserved place on the podium.

Bronze medal: Chinese Taipei U21 (Photo: Marco Spelten)

New Zealand produced their best-ever performance at an IKF U21 World Korfball Championship by finishing fourth in Malaysia. Reaching the top four marks a historic milestone for New Zealand korfball, surpassing previous results at this level and confirming the rapid progress of the sport in Oceania.

Places 5–8
Catalonia secured an impressive 5th place after a dominant 29-17 victory over Portugal in the ranking match for fifth. Portugal finished 6th following that defeat. In the battle for 7th place, England defeated Germany 17-11 to claim 7th, while Germany ended the tournament in 8th position. All four teams had reached the top-eight stage and delivered competitive performances throughout the championship in Malaysia.

Photos: Marco Spelten

Top scorers
The individual scoring charts at the 2026 IKF U21 World Korfball Championship were dominated by two Catalan players. Júlia Soriano finished as the overall top scorer of the tournament with an impressive 41 goals, making her the leading female scorer. Closely behind her was teammate Guillem Ceballos, who claimed the title of top male scorer with 40 goals. Their outstanding performances highlighted Catalonia’s strong attacking presence throughout the competition in Malaysia.

Guillem Ceballos and Júlia Soriano (Photo: Marco Spelten)

Image gallery (Day 9) by Marco Spelten

The IKF and IKF Asia would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Malaysian Korfball Association and all volunteers and officials for their outstanding work as the local organisers of this IKF U21 World Korfball Championship 2026. Their dedication, professionalism and warm hospitality ensured a smoothly run and memorable tournament in Nilai.

From excellent facilities to seamless organisation and a welcoming atmosphere, the Malaysian Korfball Association played a vital role in making this championship a great success for all teams, officials and fans. Thank you for your hard work and commitment to the development of korfball.

Final Ranking & Day 9 Results

Previous related news: 
– Match reports, images, streams and interviews of each game
– IKF U21 WKC 2026: Ranking matches for places 9–16 were decided!
– Daily Updates – The Stage is Set: The IKF U21 World Korfball Championship 2026 Arrives in Malaysia

How to Review All the Action

All matches were streamed live on the official IKF YouTube channel (youtube.com/ikfchannel) and on worldkorfball.sport, with live results, statistics, scorers, and play-by-play updates available throughout.

Also on the special page created for this (korfball.sport/u21wkc2026) event you can find all the image galleries, video interviews and match reports of each game played.

Join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #U21WKC and #korfball. Follow official IKF channels on social media for galleries, highlights, and behind-the-scenes content.

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