Korfball: The Mixed Team Sport Where Men and Women Play as Equals
Korfball is a basket-throwing team sport from the Netherlands where every team fields four men and four women, and every player is marked by someone of their own gender. Dutch teacher Nico Broekhuysen created it for his Amsterdam pupils in 1902, and the International Korfball Federation (IKF) now bills it as the world's only mixed team sport. It's one of the games on our unique and unusual sports list, and the IKF now unites 75 national federations, including Australia.
Key Takeaways
Four plus four: Each team of eight has four men and four women, split two and two across an attack zone and a defence zone.
Same-gender marking: You only defend an opponent of your own gender, so every match-up is one on one.
No shooting when defended: If your defender is close, in front of you and facing you, you can't shoot, which rewards movement and quick passing over height.
No running with the ball: There's no dribbling, so the ball only moves by passing.
Over a century old: Korfball dates from 1902 and was a demonstration sport at the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games.
Rising in Australia: Australia climbed seven places to 10th in the IKF world ranking in November 2025.
What You'll Find in This Post
What Is Korfball?
The name comes from korf, the Dutch word for basket. An indoor court measures 40 by 20 metres and is split into two zones. Each zone has a post 3.5 metres tall with a basket on top and like netball has no backboard. The post stands one-sixth of the way in from the end line, about 6.7 metres on a 40 metre court, so players can shoot from any direction.
Each team puts two men and two women in each zone, which means four players attack while the other four defend. After every two goals, the zones swap roles, so attackers become defenders and defenders become attackers. In almost every match, every player ends up doing both jobs.
If you've played netball or basketball, parts of korfball will feel familiar, especially the passing and footwork. The big differences are the mixed teams, the same-gender marking (you can only be matched to the same gender) and the rule that stops you shooting when you're closely defended.
A Short History of Korfball
Nico Broekhuysen was a teacher, born in Dordrecht in 1876. In the early 1900s he attended a course at Nääs in Sweden and saw ringboll, a mixed game where players threw a ball through a ring on a tall pole. Back in Amsterdam he adapted it for his pupils, replacing the ring with a basket and simplifying the rules. The first game was played on a vacant lot on Jan Luykenstraat, and the Dutch korfball association followed on 2 June 1903, with Broekhuysen as its president.
The sport moved quickly onto bigger stages. Korfball was a demonstration sport at the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games, and the IKF was founded in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1933. World Championships have been held roughly every four years since 1978, and the Netherlands has won every edition except 1991, when Belgium took the title.
Korfball has been part of The World Games since 1985. At Chengdu 2025 the Netherlands beat Belgium for gold, with Chinese Taipei repeating the bronze it won at Birmingham 2022.
Korfball Rules Explained
Here are the core rules of indoor korfball, which the IKF also summarises on its What is korfball page:
Eight a side: Four men and four women, with two of each in the attack zone and two of each in the defence zone.
Same-gender defending: Men defend men and women defend women, one defender per attacker.
The defended rule: You can't shoot while you're defended, which means your direct opponent is within arm's length, nearer the post than you, facing you and actively trying to block the ball.
No running or dribbling: You can't walk or travel with the ball, although you can pivot on one foot.
Controlled contact: Players can't gain an advantage from contact, and blocking, holding and tackling aren't allowed.
One point a goal: Every basket counts once, and zones swap after every two goals.
25-second shot clock Each attack has 25 seconds to score or hit the korf, and the clock resets when a shot touches the korf.
Stay in your zone You can't play outside your own zone, and you can't score from your defence zone.
Hands only You can't deliberately play the ball with your leg or foot, hand it straight to a teammate, or play it to yourself.
At international level, a match is two halves of 25 minutes of real playing time, and each half is split by a one-minute technical time-out. Each team also gets two one-minute time-outs and up to eight substitutions. Junior and lower-level competitions can adapt these rules, so check your league's format. The IKF announced updates to its Rules of Korfball that took effect on 1 September 2026.
"both sexes play together on completely even terms" — International Korfball Federation
The defended rule is what makes mixed play work. A taller or faster player can't simply muscle past and shoot, because a well-positioned defender of the same gender takes the opportunity to shot away. According to the IKF, the game is structured to offset differences in height, speed and strength.
For another court sport that also bans both contact and interceptions, see our post on tchoukball.
Fouls, Free Passes and Penalties
Small, unintentional fouls are dealt with by a restart, taken from where the foul happened. If a defender fouls deliberately or makes uncontrolled contact in their own defence zone, the attacking team gets a free pass. It's taken from just behind the penalty spot, 2.5 metres in front of the post, with everyone else outside a 2.5 metre circle. The taker has four seconds to pass and can't score directly.
If a foul costs a player a real scoring chance, the referee awards a penalty. The fouled player shoots from the penalty spot, and everyone else stays outside the penalty area.
Play starts, and restarts after each goal, with a throw-off from near the centre by the team that conceded. When the ball goes out, the team that didn't touch it last restarts from the boundary line.
Indoor, Beach and Korfball4
Korfball comes in several formats, all described by the IKF:
Indoor: The standard eight-a-side game, and the one played at World Championships and The World Games.
Beach korfball: Four a side, with two men and two women per team. It's played in 36 countries, held its first IKF World Beach Korfball Championship in 2022, and in September 2026 the International World Games Association confirmed it as a discipline for The World Games 2029 in Karlsruhe.
Korfball4: Four players per team in a single zone. It needs less space and fewer people, which is why it's used mainly in youth and grassroots korfball.
Outdoor: Eight a side on grass, played mostly in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Is Korfball Right for You or Your Kids?
Korfball suits anyone who wants a team sport they can play alongside friends, partners or workmates of any gender, on equal terms. It also has a strong student following. In the UK, universities began playing in the 1980s and the British Student Korfball Association formed in 1990, according to England Korfball.
For children, Korfball4 is the usual starting point because it uses one zone and fewer players. Mixed teams also mean girls and boys learn the same game together from the first session.
It's a running, jumping, change-of-direction sport, so the usual court-sport habits apply, including a proper warm-up and indoor shoes with good grip. Clubs supply the posts and balls, so you don't need to buy any kit before you try it. For another social sport that mixes ages and abilities on the same court, check out our post on pickleball.
How to Start Playing Korfball
In Australia, Korfball Australia is the national body. It was founded in 1978, has state associations in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, and runs national championships in indoor and beach korfball. In South Australia, Korfball SA runs a State League with three senior grades, a Social K4 competition for new and experienced players, summer beach korfball at Glenelg, and a one-day Summer Classic that's open to non-club and corporate teams. You can register interest through its contact page and it will put you in touch with a club. In other states, contact Korfball Australia to find your nearest club.
In the UK, England Korfball links to a club finder, and the korfball.org.uk directory covers clubs, university teams and associations across the UK. Wales and Scotland have their own associations.
In the US, start with the United States Korfball Federation's club finder.
To watch first, search "IKF World Korfball Championship" on YouTube.
Who Governs Korfball
The International Korfball Federation is based in Utrecht in the Netherlands. It's recognised by the IOC and unites 75 national federations. Here are the national bodies in key countries:
Australia: Korfball Australia, founded in 1978.
United States: The United States Korfball Federation, affiliated with the IKF since 1978.
England: England Korfball, the English Korfball Association.
Wales: The Welsh Korfball Association.
Scotland: The Scottish Korfball Association.
Netherlands: The Royal Dutch Korfball Association (KNKV), the sport's original home.
New Zealand: Korfball New Zealand.
For other countries, the IKF's member list will point you to the right national association.
Final Thoughts
Working and playing in community recreation, I’ve seen how often mixed social games end up with the tallest, fastest players taking every shot. Korfball looks to address this within the rules. The defended rule means nobody can shoot while their marker is close and blocking, which makes for a fast ball that keeps moving until someone finds a clear shot. If you’ve got a group of friends or workmates after something different, it might be worth a try.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is korfball in simple terms?
A: It's a mixed team sport, similar in some ways to netball and basketball, where teams of four men and four women try to throw a ball through a basket on top of a 3.5 metre post.
Q: What are the basic rules of korfball?
A: Each team has eight players, four men and four women. You can only defend someone of your own gender, you can't run or dribble with the ball, and you can't shoot while you're closely defended. The zones swap roles after every two goals.
Q: Is korfball an Olympic sport?
A: No. It was a demonstration sport at the 1920 and 1928 Olympic Games and is recognised by the IOC, but it isn't on the Olympic program. It has been part of The World Games since 1985.
Q: Why is korfball a mixed sport?
A: Nico Broekhuysen based it on ringboll, a mixed game he saw in Sweden, and adapted it for his school pupils. The rules on same-gender marking and defended shots keep the game even between men and women.
Q: Can you play korfball in Australia?
A: Yes. Korfball Australia is the national body, and Korfball SA runs leagues, social K4 and beach korfball in South Australia. Contact Korfball Australia to find a club in your state.
Q: How tall is a korfball post?
A: The post is 3.5 metres tall, with a basket on top and no backboard.
Q: How long is a korfball game?
A: At international level, two halves of 25 minutes of playing time, with a one-minute break in the middle of each half. Junior and social competitions can adapt the format.
Q: What ball is used in korfball?
A: A size 5 ball, between 68 and 70.5 centimetres around and weighing 445 to 475 grams.
Q: Is korfball good for kids?
A: Yes. Korfball4 uses four players in a single zone and is mainly used for youth and grassroots play, and mixed teams mean girls and boys learn the same game together.
Q: How many countries play korfball?
A: The IKF unites 75 national federations, and the sport is played across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania.
