[wr_row][wr_column]On the third day of the IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship in Montecarlo, Argentina, Germany and Brazil secured their spots in the grand final. Germany achieved a commanding 3-0 victory over Austria in the semifinal, showcasing their outstanding form. As reigning champions and record titleholders, the German team is now aiming for their eighth world championship title.

In the second semifinal, Brazil delivered a thrilling showdown against Switzerland, captivating the numerous fans in attendance. After a suspenseful match, Brazil emerged victorious with a 3-1 win. Switzerland, down 0-2 after the first two sets (8:11, 14:15), mounted a comeback and took the third set 11:6. However, Brazil rallied in the fourth set, narrowly securing it 13:11 and booking their place in the final.

Beyond the semifinals, the battle for other placements continues. Argentina and Chile will face each other tomorrow in the match for fifth place, having both lost in the quarterfinals to Switzerland and Austria. The contest for seventh place between Namibia and New Zealand also promises excitement, as the winner of this match will qualify for the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China.

In the placement rounds, the USA, Australia, and Colombia are competing for the 9th to 11th positions. For these teams, the matches offer a chance for improved standings and valuable international experience.

Sunday’s final program kicks off at 10 a.m. with the placement matches. At 2:30 p.m., Switzerland and Austria will compete for the bronze medal, followed by the grand final between Germany and Brazil at 4:45 p.m. This will be the first time the two powerhouse teams have met in a Women’s World Championship final since 2016. Germany won that match 4-2 and has remained the reigning champion ever since.

With the championship trophy within reach and a motivated Brazilian team eager to claim their second title, the final day promises a thrilling highlight of world-class fistball.

All matches will be broadcasted live on www.fistball.tv. The Matches of team Germany are transmitted on German territory by SWR exclusevly. The will be streamed via www.swr.de/sport.

On the second day of the Women’s Fistball World Championship in Monte Carlo, the group stage concluded, setting the course for the quarterfinals. In the Gold Group, the German team secured the top spot with a commanding 3-0 win over Austria. Germany now advances undefeated to the quarterfinals, where they will face Namibia, the Bronze Group’s leading team, who earned their place through a intermediate round victory over Australia. Namibia now faces the tough challenge of competing against the defending world champions from Germany.

In the Silver Group, Chile claimed the group victory with a clear 3-0 win over New Zealand. Chile will face Austria in the quarterfinals, as Austria is still searching for their first win of the tournament. This matchup is especially meaningful for Chilean attacker Lorenza Valenzuela, who lives in Austria and plays in the Austrian Bundesliga at Grieskirchen/Pötting.

In addition to Namibia, Argentina and New Zealand also secured their spots in the quarterfinals via the intermediate round. Argentina will play against Switzerland tomorrow, while New Zealand faces Brazil.

The teams that lost their intermediate round matches will play for places 9 through 11, starting tomorrow. The quarterfinal matches begin at 10 a.m., with the semifinals concluding the day at 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
All matches with Germany will be broadcasted within Germany on www.swr.de/sport only. All matches will be livestreamed on www.fistball.tv.

The first day of the IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship in Montecarlo, Argentina, began with high-level matches and thrilling encounters that delivered exciting moments for the spectators. In the Gold Group, the German team successfully claimed the top position after securing two strong victories against Brazil and Switzerland, setting Germany up early with a promising position for the remainder of the tournament.

Around midday, however, the tournament was interrupted by an intense thunderstorm over Montecarlo, resulting in a roughly 40-minute delay. The highly anticipated “Oceania Derby” in the Silver Group between Australia and New Zealand was especially affected. After resuming play, New Zealand managed a decisive 3-0 victory over Australia. Host country Argentina celebrated a clear victory against New Zealand but lost the Southamerican duel against Chile 1:3. Chile overtook the lead in the Silver Group with 2 victories.

Namibia made headlines in the Bronze Group by winning both of its matches against Colombia and the USA. With these back-to-back victories, the Namibians secured the group win early and will face the fourth-place team of the Silver Group tomorrow in the Intermediate Round at 5:30 p.m.

Tomorrow, Friday, the preliminary round will conclude. For the Bronze Group teams, an intermediate round awaits, where they will compete against the second, third, and fourth-placed teams of the Silver Group. The quarterfinals and semifinals will begin on Saturday, leading up to the placement matches on Sunday, which will bring the World Championship to its grand finale.

This action-packed opening day promises an exciting continuation, with all teams energized and ready to compete fiercely in the upcoming decisive matches.

The IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship kicked off with a festive opening ceremony. Just as the ceremony began, rain started to fall, and the event was quickly moved indoors to the gym. Representatives from the city and the region attended the official start, where all participating teams were introduced with a parade.

A special highlight of the ceremony was a performance by a regional folklore group, who captivated the audience with traditional Argentine dances, marking the start of the Welcome Dinner. With this festive opening, all attendees were set for the upcoming sporting highlights of the championship.

Before the opening ceremony, teams had the opportunity to train on the sports facility and familiarize themselves with the field conditions. During the Technical Meeting, delegation leaders received all essential information to ensure smooth operations for the days ahead.

11 teams from four continents will compete in the Women’s World Championship. All matches will be broadcasted on http://www.fistball.tv.

Due to a last-minute adjustment, the match schedule had to be slightly modified: the Friday 10 a.m. match between Namibia and the USA will now swap with Thursday’s 10 a.m. game between the USA and Colombia.

The world of fistball turns its eyes to Montecarlo, Argentina, as the IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship 2024 brings together eleven nations from four continents to compete for the title, promising thrilling performances and athletic excellence. The International Fistball Association (IFA) not only celebrates the international field of participants but also a major success in raising the media presence of fistball: there will be extensive coverage of the games in Germany and Austria.

Thanks to the IFA’s efforts and its partner, Sports Forward, a last-minute broadcasting agreement was reached with SWR (Südwestrundfunk) in Germany and ORF in Austria. This agreement includes extensive coverage and live broadcasts that will bring the sport of fistball to a broader audience. SWR will stream all games of the German national team live on its website, swr.de/sport, with commentary in German. Additionally, the SWR Sport YouTube channel will broadcast all matches featuring the German team live. Further coverage is planned on the Morgenmagazin (Moma), Mittagsmagazin (Mima), as well as online and in sports news, further spreading the fascination of fistball.

In Austria, ORF will air an extended highlight show of the World Championship on Tuesday, November 12, during prime time on ORF Sport+, and the women’s championship will also be featured in ORF sports news. The collaboration with ORF and SWR was made possible by the positive experiences and successful partnerships established during the Men’s World Championship 2023 and the World Tour Final 2024, which were also successfully broadcast by both SWR and ORF.

These partnerships mark an important step for the IFA and the sport of fistball, ensuring that the athletes’ performances and tournament emotions are accessible worldwide. IFA President Jörn Verleger emphasized, “Thanks to the collaboration with SWR and ORF, the World Championship gains a new level of visibility. We are proud to offer such an experience to sports fans in Germany and Austria.”

All games will be livestreamed on fistball.tv, with games featuring Germany available exclusively on SWR channels for German audiences.

Which nation has the best women’s national fistball team in the world? This question will be answered from November 7 to 10 in Montecarlo. The city in the northwest of Argentina is the location of the 10th Fistball World Championship. Eleven teams will compete on the venue of the organizing club Club Guatambú. Exactly 30 years after its premiere, the Fistball World Championship is returning to Argentina.

Women’s World Championship returns to Argentina

Preparations have entered the final straight and the excitement is growing day by day: from November 7-10, the Club Guatambú venue will be the hotspot for women’s fistball worldwide. Eleven nations will be competing in the world championships over the four days. For women’s fistball, it is a return to its place of origin. The first Women’s Fistball World Championship was held in Buenos Aires in October 1994. Now, 30 years later, the best women’s fistball teams are returning to Argentina. “It’s great that we are back in Argentina with a Women’s World Championship,” says Jörn Verleger, President of the International Fistball Association: “The organizers have been working with great commitment on the preparations for a year. In combination with the great performances of our athletes, the World Championship is sure to generate great enthusiasm!”
11 nations take part – Qualifying competition for the World Games

Defending champion Germany, who took the crown at the last event in Grieskirchen in 2021, leads preliminary round Group A, in which the top teams from previous years are seeded. These include Switzerland (2022 World Games finalists), Brazil (Pan American champions) and Austria (2021 World Cup finalists). Group B features the two South American nations Argentina and Chile as well as New Zealand and Australia from Oceania. The field of participants is completed by Namibia, the USA and Colombia in Group C. The IFA Sports Commission used the results of past top events to determine the groups.

“We expect even more matches at eye level from the division of these groups and are convinced that this will further increase the number of exciting matches,” says its chairman Gastão Englert. After the preliminary round, Groups B and C will determine the participants for the quarter-finals on Saturday in an intermediate round on Friday evening. “Every team has the chance to win the world title,” says Englert. The semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The final match will take place on Sunday, November 10, at 4:45 p.m. local time. The 2024 Women’s Fistball World Championship will also serve as a qualifying competition for the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China.
 
Premiere for hosts Club Guatambú

This is a premiere for Club Guatambú: Having hosted the IFA Masters (2009) and the Pan-American Championships (2017), among others, in the past, this year will be the first time they host a Fistball World Championship. “It is a great honor for us that the best fistball players in the world will be our guests in Guatambú,” says Laura Laumann, secretary of the Fistball Committee at Club Guatambú: “For our club, it will be the biggest event in history so far. We are both proud and motivated to give everyone a great World Championship.”

Livestream of all World Championship matches

The event will kick off on Wednesday with the official opening ceremony and the welcome dinner for the teams. From Thursday, the matches on the fistball court will be on the program. 33 matches will take place over the four days of the event, and the organizers have put together a diverse program for spectators around the two courts. There will also be two Schools Days. “Over the past few months, the organization team, led by Patricia Stopp and Laura Laumann, has done everything possible to create the best possible conditions for teams and fans,” says Sönke Spille, IFA Head of Events. Among other things, the sports facilities have been modernized and the first mobile structures have been erected in the last days. “Everyone can look forward to a very warm atmosphere,” announces Spille. Tickets are available at the box office during the four days of the event. There will also be a live stream of all matches on www.fistball.TV.

During the U18 World Championships we will hold elections for three U18 athletes to serve as representatives on the IFA Youth Commission and IFA Athletes’ Commission. The candidates were presented during the 6th Youth Congress.
The elected U18 representatives will serve for a term of 2 years or until the next IFA Fistball U18 World Championship in 2026.

The elected athletes will become active members of the IFA Youth Commission and as youth representative in the Athletes’ Commission, participating in various projects and decisions related to youth development in fistball. Their role is to ensure that the voice of young fistball players is heard and considered in the commission’s work, such as improving youth events and promoting the attractiveness of fistball among young athletes.

Election process:
The election will take place online during the World Championships. All athletes participating in the World Championships are invited to vote their representatives online. The voting link will be shared during the event.

These are the 7 candidates in alphabetical order:
Jonas Aigner, AUT
Daria Eckerstorfer, AUT
Lia Monteiro, BRA
Felix Rockenschaub, AUT
Kathrin Schmitz, GER
Anna Wagner, AUT
Torben Winterbach, NAM

Here are the videos of the nominees:

IFA is a project partner of TAFISA in the Positive and Safe Coaching Pathway project in 2024. This project and the coaching sessions aim to address the gender inequality that hinders the participation of women and girls in sport at all levels. By focusing on the coaching of female coaches and coaches, the pathway to remove barriers and create a more equitable, accessible, accommodating and positive experience for girls in sport.

The head of the youth commission, Emma Dallinger, and project employee Hanna Einsiedler completed the program. Emma Dallinger organized a workshop for interested young people, athletes and coaches during the U18 World Championships in Chile. Within the framework of the IFA Youth Congress Emma welcomed many participants and could raise awareness for this important topic.
These workshops were primarily aimed at younger coaches aged between 16 and 25 years old in order to appeal to the next generation of Fistball coaches. By focusing on youth development, especially young women, the IFA fosters an environment that promotes inclusion, safety and the active participation of women in Fistball. A total of 90 people took part in the two workshops.

On October 1, TAFISA, in collaboration with FISU, hosted the INTERACT+ Sport for All Conference to present the innovative Label Dashboard to international and national sport federations. IFA is part of the INTERACT+ project since its beginning in 2020. The Label Dashboard will enable sport federations to measure and evaluate their Sport for All offerings through a Sport for All Certification, allowing them to create a roadmap towards continual improvement.

This event also served as a platform to showcase the INTERACT+ project’s goals, foster dialogue, and encourage collaboration among various stakeholders in the global sports community. IFA Secretary General Christoph Oberlehner was also one of the panelists and discussed about the importance of the INTERACT+ project and how to establish Sport for all activities in international federations. The conference featured a round table discussion moderated by Patrik Perosa from the International Dance Organization with several panelists from different sport organizations.

The conversation delved into the foundational frameworks guiding each federation’s Sport for All initiatives, examining how these theoretical principles are translated into actionable programs and initiatives. Panellists shared insights into the key challenges they face in promoting inclusive participation, while discussing practical steps federations are taking to implement these strategies. They also addressed common obstacles in advancing widespread sports participation and explored how the INTERACT+ project could support federations in overcoming these barriers and achieving their goals.

Capacity Building Workshop
Following the conference, attendees participated in a capacity building workshop designed to provide practical tools and guidance. Held over two days, this workshop empowered representatives from international and national sport federations to align their existing activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and TAFISA’s Mission 2030 Themes. Participants worked on creating policy changes within their organizations, linking research findings from the INTERACT+ project to their strategies, and designing initiatives aimed at specific target groups. The workshop was facilitated by Jörg Benner from European Flying Disc Federation.

This was the fourth capacity building session of the INTERACT+ project, with at least two more trainings planned for the future. These sessions offer a valuable opportunity for federations to enhance their capacity for promoting inclusive and sustainable sport initiatives.

If your organisation is interested in hosting a similar capacity building session or would like more information, please reach out to us at info@tafisa.org.

INTERACT+ Partners Meeting
During our gathering in Lausanne, we also held a partners meeting for the INTERACT+ project. This meeting provided an opportunity to review updates on upcoming deliverables, plan the next steps for the Label Dashboard, and ensure the ongoing sustainability of the project. Additionally, we discussed future dates for partners meetings and upcoming capacity building trainings, outlining our roadmap for continued collaboration.

The INTERACT+ Sport for All Conference, capacity building workshop, and partners meeting in Lausanne marked a significant step forward in advancing global collaboration toward inclusive and sustainable sport initiatives. By bringing together experts, representatives, and key stakeholders from international and national sport federations, we fostered meaningful dialogue, shared innovative strategies, and strengthened our collective commitment to promoting Sport for All. As we look ahead, the momentum gained from these events will continue to drive the INTERACT+ project’s mission to support federations in creating impactful programs and initiatives. We are excited for the future and look forward to the next phases of our shared journey.

The IFA Youth Commission invites all interested participants, coaches and athletes to the 6th IFA Youth Congress 2024 (on-site event only) on Tuesday, 29th October 2024, 6:00 p.m. at Club Gimnástico Alemán de Llanquihue.

Please register for participation in the youth congress by 25 October at: REGISTRATION TO THE CONGRESS
You find all details and the agenda below (or download here: DOWNLOAD AGENDA)

Election of U18 Athlete Representatives
Together with this invitation I’ll send an information regarding election of Youth representatives in the IFA Youth Commission and Athletes’ Commission. We are still accepting nominations for the election of the IFA youth representative.
Please submit your nominations for the Youth Athlete Representative by October 25 using this online form: SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION
The election will be done online during the U18 World Championships.

We are looking forward meeting you at the Youth Congress and the U18 World Championships in Llanquihue. If you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me.