2027 IKF World Korfball Championship

2027 IKF World Korfball Championship
Better Together
Tournament details
Country Netherlands
Venues12 (in 12 host cities)
Dates15–24 October 2027
Teams24 (from 4 confederations)
Official website
Netherlands 2027

The 2027 IKF World Korfball Championship will be the 13th edition of the IKF World Korfball Championship, the quadrennial international korfball championship organised under the aegis of International Korfball Federation for the national teams across the world. It will be held in Netherlands from 15 to 24 October 2027.[1][2] This will be Netherlands' fourth time hosting. The final will be in Rotterdam.

For the second time, 24 teams took part, following the expansion in 2023. Continental championships acted as qualification. The hosts Netherlands automatically qualified.

Netherlands are the eight-time defending champions, recently beating Chinese Taipei 27–9 at the 2023 final in Taipei.

Bidding process

On 11 August 2019, at a meeting in Durban, Netherlands was given the 2027 hosting rights. This came after initially applying and later losing to Chinese Taipei in the 2023 bidding process. This will be Netherlands' fourth time hosting after 1978, 1987 and 2003.

The bid envisioned a first-ever athlete village to be created with temporary housing in the Rotterdam Ahoy’s Sports and Convention complex that would be converted to a World Korfball Village.

Preparations

  • In September 2025, the Dutch Korfball federation announced a collaboration with TIG Sports.[3]
  • On 18 April 2026, on the day of the Dutch cup final, the host cities and logos were unveiled for the championship.[4]

Qualification

For the second time, 24 teams took part, following the expansion in 2023. Continental championships acted as qualification.

Team Qualification method Date of qualification Appearance(s) Previous best performance[A] WR[B]
Total First Last Streak
 Netherlands Host nation 11 August 2019 13th 1978 2023 13 Champions (Eleven times)[C] 1

Venues

On 18 April 2026, the host cities were announced.[5][6] The host cities are Almelo, Emmen, Drachten, Duiven, Ede, Gorredijk, Hoogeveen, Oss, Ridderkerk, Rotterdam, ’s-Hertogenbosch, and Zaanstad.[7] The semifinals and final will take place at the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam. Leiden had stated interest in hosting the tournament at Sportcomplex 1574, but failed to make the cut.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ Bold text indicates they hosted that edition.
  2. ↑ World rankings at the start of the tournament.
  3. ↑ Netherlands have won in 1978, 1984, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023.

References