2023 IKF World Korfball Championship
Tournament details
Host countryTaiwan
Dates20–29 October 2023
Teams24
Venue(s)Taipei Gymnasium[1]
Final positions
Champions Netherlands (11th title)
Runners-up Chinese Taipei
Third place Belgium
Fourth place Czech Republic
Tournament statistics
Matches played82
Goals scored2,780 (33.9 per match)
Top scorer(s)Netherlands Fleur Hoek
(33 goals)[2]
← 2019
2027 →

The 12th IKF World Korfball Championship was held in Taipei, Taiwan.[3] It was the first time in the history of the IKF World Korfball Championship, the final wasn't played between Belgium and the Netherlands. The International Korfball Federation awarded the hosting rights for the tournament to Taiwan on 9 August 2019, ahead of the bids of Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The Netherlands was awarded the hosting rights for the 2027 IKF World Korfball Championship instead.[4]

In November 2022, the number of teams participating was increased from 20 to 24. The Americas are now allotted 2 spots, Africa 2 spots, Europe 12 spots, and Asia and Oceania 7 spots (in addition to the host country), among which at least one Oceanian country. (with a minimum of 1 for Oceania).[5] Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Turkey are making their debut in the tournament.

The tournament also serves as the only qualification event for the 2025 World Games, with eight qualification places available. The IKF framework aims at having 4 continents representing Korfball at the TWG 2025 out of the five continents represented in the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship – Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania. To make this happen, participants from 4 continents should finish in the top-11 at the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship. To determine the teams qualifying, IKF set out a series of rules:

  1. All qualified teams for the 2025 World Games must participate in the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship
  2. As host of the 2025 World Games, China must be ranked in top 13 at the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship to guarantee the qualification as host of the 2025 World Games. If China does not finish in top 13 of the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship, a wildcard will be given to be decided by IKF Council vote, taking the interest of quality of the competition, global representation, and marketing impact into account.
  3. If the top 8 ranking, including China, consists of participants of at least 4 continents the top 8 will qualify directly.
  4. If four continents are represented in the Top 11 then:
    1. China qualifies (if in top 13) but does not count on behalf of Asia
    2. If China does not finish in top 13 of the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship, a wildcard will be given to be decided by IKF Council vote
    3. Considering only Top 11 teams, the highest ranked team from each continent qualify
    4. Starting with the highest ranked team and descending, teams who have not qualified via the steps above are then added until eight places are filled
  5. If three or two continents are represented in the Top 11 then:
    1. China qualifies (if in top 13) but does not count on behalf of Asia
    2. If China does not finish in top 13 of the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship, a wildcard will be given to be decided by IKF Council vote
    3. Considering only Top 11 teams, the highest ranked team from each of those continents qualifies
    4. Starting with the highest ranked team and descending, teams who have not qualified via the steps above are then added until eight places are filled
  6. If only one continent is represented in the Top 11 then:
    1. China qualifies (if in top 13) but does not count on behalf of Asia
    2. If China does not finish in top 13 of the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship, a wildcard will be given to be decided by IKF Council vote
    3. Starting with the highest ranked team and descending, teams who have not qualified via the step above are then added until eight places are filled

Teams

Qualification

Originally, the 2023 IKF World Korfball Championship was intended to involve 20 teams, but on 27 November 2022 the IKF decided to expand the tournament to 24 teams. As the European qualifiers had already been completed at that time and the IKF had awarded three extra places to European teams, third-place finishers  Hungary and  Slovakia qualified instantly, while the IKF decided that the fourth-place finisher ranked which was ranked highest on the IKF rankings per 1 January 2023 would qualify as well.  Ireland as such qualified as well, with   Switzerland becoming first reserve.

The draw for the tournament was made on 10 July 2023, at which point it became clear that both  Morocco and  Zimbabwe had withdrawn from the tournament and the IKF had instead invited reserves  Malaysia and  South Africa.

Finally, on 2 October 2023, the IKF confirmed that  Philippines would replace  China.

Team Date of
qualification 		Method of
qualification 		Finals
appearance 		Previous
appearance 		IKF
Ranking[nb 1]
 Australia 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 4th place 11th 2019 14
 Belgium 9 August 2019 Automatic qualification 12th 2019 02
 Brazil 20 December 2022 IKF Pan-American Korfball Championship 2022 2nd place 02nd 2015 20
 Catalonia 5 November 2022 IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-B 2022 1st place 10th 2019 09
 Chinese Taipei 9 August 2019 Host 10th 2019 03
 Czech Republic 9 August 2019 Automatic qualification 07th 2019 08
 England 22 October 2022 IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-A 2022 1st place 12th[A] 2019 10
 Germany 9 August 2019 Automatic qualification 12th[B] 2019 04
 Hong Kong 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 7th place 04th 2019 15
 Hungary 27 November 2022[C] IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-B 2022 3rd place 05th 2019 11
 India 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 5th place 07th 2011 23
 Ireland 1 January 2023[D] Highest ranked 4th place finisher of EU qualifiers 02nd 2019 18
 Japan 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 6th place 03rd 2019 19
 Malaysia 10 July 2023[E] Invited after withdrawal of  Morocco 01st – 28
 Netherlands 9 August 2019 Automatic qualification 12th 2019 01
 New Zealand 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 3rd place 02nd 2019 13
 Philippines 2 October 2023[F] Invited after withdrawal of  China 01st – 38
 Poland 22 October 2022 IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-A 2022 2nd place 07th 2019 12
 Portugal 9 August 2019 Automatic qualification 10th 2019 06
 Slovakia 27 November 2022[G] IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-A 2022 3rd place 04th 2019 16
 South Africa 10 July 2023[E] Invited after withdrawal of  Zimbabwe 08th 2019 24
 Suriname 20 December 2022 IKF Pan-American Korfball Championship 2022 1st place 02nd 2019 07
 Thailand 4 December 2022 IKF Asia-Oceania Korfball Championship 2022 8th place 01st – 27
 Turkey 5 November 2022 IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-B 2022 2nd place 01st – 22
  1. ^ Includes participations of  Great Britain until 2003.
  2. ^ Includes participations of  Germany from 1978 to 1987.
  3. ^ Already finished 3rd at the IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-B 2022 on 5 November 2022. IKF decided on 27 November 2022 to expand the tournament, meaning the 3rd placed finishers also qualified.
  4. ^ Already finished 4th at the IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-A 2022 on 22 October 2022. IKF decided on 27 November 2022 that the highest ranked 4th place finisher on 1st January 2023 would also qualify.
  5. ^ a b Appeared in the draw after being invited due to the withdrawals of Morocco and Zimbabwe.
  6. ^ Appeared after the draw after being invited due to the withdrawal of China.
  7. ^ Already finished 3rd at the IKF EU World Korfball Championship Qualifier-A 2022 on 5 November 2022. IKF decided on 27 November 2022 to expand the tournament, meaning the 3rd placed finishers also qualified.

Format and draw

As the tournament was expanded from 20 to 24 teams, the IKF implemented a new format. Instead of five groups of four, the first stage of the tournament will now feature eight groups of three teams (Groups A throguh H). The top two teams from each group will progress to the second group stage which features four groups of four teams (Groups I through L). Results obtained against teams also progressing from the same group are retained in the second group stage. The top two teams of the second group stage will then move into the knockout stages, which will determine places 1 through 8.

Teams finishing third in the first round will be paired in four matches, with the four losing teams playing in a round robin phase for places 21 through 24. The four winning teams will progress and be placed in a knockout tournament with the teams finishing fourth in the second group stage of the main tournament, to determine places 13 through 20. Finally, the four teams finishing third in the second group stage will be put in a round robin group to determine places 9 through 12.

On 10 July 2023, the official IKF World Korfball Championships 2023 group draw took place.[6] The top eight teams of the IKF Ranking were awarded spots in groups A-H respectively. According to their ranking, the remaining 16 teams were put into 4 pots. The teams in pot 1 were awarded spots in groups H-E, teams in pot 2 spots in groups D-A, teams in pot 3 spots in groups A-D and teams in pot 4 spots in groups E-H. If a group would consist of 3 teams from the same continent, the country drawn would be pushed to the next group. For example, Turkey was drawn in group A but was moved to group B as it already contained Netherlands and Slovakia from Europe. The pots for the draw are shown below.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
 Catalonia (9)
 England (10)
 Hungary (11)
 Poland (12) 		 New Zealand (13)
 Australia (14)
 Hong Kong (15)
 Slovakia (16) 		 Ireland (18)
 Japan (19)
 Brazil (20)
 Turkey (22) 		 India (23)
 South Africa (24)
 Thailand (27)
 Malaysia (28)

Just a few weeks before the tournament, 5th seed  China withdrew from the tournament, with  Philippines (38) invited in to take its place.

First group stage

Competing countries were divided into eight groups of three teams (groups A through H). Teams in each group played one another on a round-robin basis, with the top two teams of each group advancing to the Second Group Stage.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  NED  SVK  BRA
1  Netherlands 2 2 0 0 0 79 16 +63 6 Second Group Stage: Group I 39–9 40–7
2  Slovakia 2 1 0 0 1 30 44 −14 3 21–5
3  Brazil 2 0 0 0 2 12 61 −49 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group B

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  BEL  HKG  TUR
1  Belgium 2 2 0 0 0 75 18 +57 6 Second Group Stage: Group J 43–9 32–9
2  Hong Kong 2 0 1 0 1 27 60 −33 2 18–17 GG
3  Turkey 2 0 0 1 1 26 50 −24 1 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group C

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  TPE  NZL  IRL
1  Chinese Taipei 2 2 0 0 0 68 21 +47 6 Second Group Stage: Group K 30–13 38–8
2  New Zealand 2 1 0 0 1 31 41 −10 3 18–11
3  Ireland 2 0 0 0 2 19 56 −37 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group D

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  GER  AUS  JPN
1  Germany 2 2 0 0 0 43 16 +27 6 Second Group Stage: Group L 14–13 29–3
2  Australia 2 1 0 0 1 38 17 +21 3 25–3
3  Japan 2 0 0 0 2 6 54 −48 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group E

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  ENG  IND  PHI
1  England 2 2 0 0 0 56 12 +44 6 Second Group Stage: Group L 26–10
2  India 2 1 0 0 1 34 37 −3 3
3  Philippines 2 0 0 0 2 13 54 −41 0 3rd-place Playoffs 2–30 11–24
Source: [7]

Group F

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  POR  POL  RSA
1  Portugal 2 2 0 0 0 50 12 +38 6 Second Group Stage: Group K 16–9 34–3
2  Poland 2 1 0 0 1 32 20 +12 3 23–4
3  South Africa 2 0 0 0 2 7 57 −50 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group G

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  SUR  HUN  MAS
1  Suriname 2 2 0 0 0 49 13 +36 6 Second Group Stage: Group J 22–8 27–5
2  Hungary 2 1 0 0 1 33 27 +6 3 25–5
3  Malaysia 2 0 0 0 2 10 52 −42 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Group H

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  CZE  CAT  THA
1  Czech Republic 2 2 0 0 0 49 20 +29 6 Second Group Stage: Group I 25–15 24–5
2  Catalonia 2 1 0 0 1 39 32 +7 3 24–7
3  Thailand 2 0 0 0 2 12 48 −36 0 3rd-place Playoffs
Source: [7]

Second round

Second group stage

Four groups of four are formed, with teams keeping the results against teams they already met during the first group stage.

Group I

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  NED  CZE  CAT  SVK
1  Netherlands 3 3 0 0 0 118 32 +86 9 Knockout stage 37–9 40–14 39–9[a]
2  Czech Republic 3 2 0 0 1 55 67 −12 6 25–15[a]
3  Catalonia 3 1 0 0 2 48 75 −27 3 Finals for 9th–12th place
4  Slovakia 3 0 0 0 3 32 79 −47 0 Finals for 13th–20th place 13–21 10–19
Source: [7]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Carried over from first group stage

Group J

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  BEL  SUR  HUN  HKG
1  Belgium 3 3 0 0 0 92 30 +62 9 Knockout stage 15–8 34–13 43–9[a]
2  Suriname 3 2 0 0 1 52 31 +21 6 22–8[a]
3  Hungary 3 1 0 0 2 45 76 −31 3 Finals for 9th–12th place
4  Hong Kong 3 0 0 0 3 37 89 −52 0 Finals for 13th–20th place 8–22 20–24
Updated to match(es) played on 24 October 2023. Source: [7]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Carried over from first group stage

Group K

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  TPE  POR  POL  NZL
1  Chinese Taipei 3 3 0 0 0 85 42 +43 9 Knockout stage 24–22 31–7 30–13[a]
2  Portugal 3 2 0 0 1 60 40 +20 6 16–9[a]
3  Poland 3 1 0 0 2 35 57 −22 3 Finals for 9th–12th place
4  New Zealand 3 0 0 0 3 30 71 −41 0 Finals for 13th–20th place 7–22 10–19
Source: [7]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Carried over from first group stage

Group L

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification  GER  ENG  AUS  IND
1  Germany 3 3 0 0 0 64 31 +33 9 Knockout stage 15–8 14–13[a] 35–10
2  England 3 2 0 0 1 53 32 +21 6 26–10[a]
3  Australia 3 1 0 0 2 44 45 −1 3 Finals for 9th–12th place 7–19 24–12
4  India 3 0 0 0 3 32 85 −53 0 Finals for 13th–20th place
Source: [7]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Carried over from first group stage

3rd-place Playoffs

The teams finishing third during the First Group Stage are paired with each other. In the 3rd-place Playoffs, teams winning their first match play a second round to determine the order amongst winners, but all four will move on to play for places 13 through 20 in a knockout tournament involving losing teams from the Second Group Stage. Teams losing their first match in the 3rd-place Playoffs are grouped together in a group of four playing for places 21 through 24.

23 October 2023
14:00 UTC+08:00
Brazil  6–14  Thailand
report

23 October 2023
15:45 UTC+08:00
Turkey  15–7  Malaysia
report

23 October 2023
17:30 UTC+08:00
Ireland  24–15  South Africa
report

23 October 2023
19:00 UTC+08:00
Japan  16–7  Philippines
report

Winners' playoff

Matches below serve only to determine seeding going into the finals for 13th–20th place, which all four teams will take part in irrespective of the below results.

24 October 2023
17:30 UTC+08:00
Thailand  11–14  Ireland
report

24 October 2023
19:00 UTC+08:00
Turkey  21–13  Japan
report

Knockout stage

Finals

Fifth placeConsolation semifinalsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
 Germany19
 Czech Republic20
 Germany20 Czech Republic13
 England14 Netherlands41
 Netherlands36
 England2
 Germany10 Netherlands27
 Suriname26 Chinese Taipei9
 Belgium26
 Portugal18
Seventh place Portugal14 Belgium19Third place
 Suriname17 Chinese Taipei21
 England13 Chinese Taipei19 Czech Republic11
 Portugal19 Suriname15 Belgium26

Finals for 9th–12th place

These places will be decided through a round-robin stage only, between the teams finishing third in their respective groups of the Second Group Stage.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Rank  HUN  CAT  POL  AUS
1  Hungary 3 2 0 0 1 46 43 +3 6[a] 9th 15–14 10–11
2  Catalonia 3 2 0 0 1 65 50 +15 6[a] 10th 18–21 21–16 26–13
3  Poland 3 1 0 0 2 41 46 −5 3[b] 11th 11–10
4  Australia 3 1 0 0 2 34 47 −13 3[b] 12th
Updated to match(es) played on 27 October 2023. Source: [7]
Notes:
  1. ^ a b HTH: Catalonia 18 – 21 Hungary
  2. ^ a b HTH: Poland 11 – 10 Australia

Finals for 13th–20th place

Seventeenth placeConsolation semifinalsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsThirteenth place
 Thailand14
 Slovakia23
 Thailand17 Slovakia10
 Japan15 Hong Kong21
 Japan10
 Hong Kong22
 Thailand9 Hong Kong13
 Ireland13 Turkey16
 Ireland12
 New Zealand13
Nineteenth place Ireland24 New Zealand12Fifteenth place
 India18 Turkey19
 Japan14 Turkey19 Slovakia17
 India21 India6 New Zealand11

Finals for 21st–24th place

These places will be decided through a round-robin stage only, between the four teams losing the 3rd-place Playoffs.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Rank  MAS  BRA  RSA  PHI
1  Malaysia 3 3 0 0 0 69 32 +37 9 21st 16–13 32–10 21–9
2  Brazil 3 2 0 0 1 42 37 +5 6 22nd 14–13 15–8
3  South Africa 3 1 0 0 2 44 60 −16 3 23rd
4  Philippines 3 0 0 0 3 31 57 −26 0 24th 14–21
Updated to match(es) played on 24 October 2023. Source: [7]

Top scorers

Rank Name Goals[2]
1 Netherlands Fleur Hoek 33
2 Suriname Vladimir Slot 29
3 Netherlands Ran Faber 28
4 Netherlands Alwin Out 27
Chinese Taipei Ya-wen Lin
6 Germany Steffen Heppekausen 26
7 Republic of Ireland Elizabeth Tighe 25
8 Republic of Ireland Chelsie Browne 24
Poland Tamara Siemieniuk
10 Hungary Zsolt Ferenc Majer 23
New Zealand Torsten Ball
Portugal Luise Costa Ruivo
Brazil Leonardo Martins Bernardino

Final ranking

Key
Qualified for the 2025 World Games
Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Netherlands
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Chinese Taipei
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Belgium
4  Czech Republic
5  Suriname
6  Germany
7  Portugal
8  England
9  Hungary
10  Catalonia
11  Poland
12  Australia
13  Turkey
14  Hong Kong
15  Slovakia
16  New Zealand
17  Ireland
18  Thailand
19  India
20  Japan
21  Malaysia
22  Brazil
23  South Africa
24  Philippines

See also

References

  1. ^ "合球／世錦賽10月台北開戰 中華隊拚留金盃" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). United Daily News. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Top scorers IKF World Korfball Championship (IKF WKC)". IKF. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  3. ^ 黃, 巧雯. "合球世錦賽10月台北登場 台灣隊力拚留下冠軍". CNA. 中央通訊社. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  4. ^ "IKF WKC 2023 bidding status". International Korfball Federation. 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  5. ^ "IKF Council decides to host 24 teams next year in Taipei: Hungary and Slovakia join earlier qualified teams from Europe". International Korfball Federation. 27 November 2022.
  6. ^ Woods, Dean (2023-07-10). "IKF World Korfball Championship 2023 – Group Draw". International Korfball Federation. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "IKF World Korfball Championship (IKF WKC) : Worldkorfball". www.worldkorfball.sport. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  1. ^ The rankings are shown as of January 2023. These are the rankings used for the final draw.

External links

IKF World Korfball Championship
World championships in 2023
Categories