The IFA is committed to the UN Charter of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and wants to promote the participation of people with disabilities in sports – as laid down in Article 30 of the UN CRPD – in the sport of Fistball as well.

“Many sports clubs are demonstrating how participation and inclusion can be lived. The sports clubs and sports associations are already making their contribution on the way to an inclusive society. However, the potential for inclusion in club sports is far from being fully exploited,” said IFA President Jörn Verleger on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

In order to break down existing barriers, the IFA supports the following demands.

Access to sports and exercise
To enable people with disabilities to participate in sports, they need an adequate supply of aids (such as sports wheelchairs, appropriate prostheses, etc.) and unbureaucratic advice, referral, and reimbursement of assistance services according to the needs of people with disabilities.

Access to sports facilities
Accessibility, access and sports facilities and rooms must be designed and converted to be barrier-free, both for people who want to actively participate in sports and for spectators and volunteers with disabilities.

Participation in voluntary work
In order to enable people with disabilities to participate in decision-making and to carry out voluntary work (e.g. through assistance, conversions, the purchase of software or technical equipment), sports associations and clubs must be supported in implementing and financing the costs incurred.

Barrier-free communication
Particularly in the area of communication, accessibility is the basis for the participation of people with disabilities. Further possibilities for the financing of speech-to-text reporting are to be developed.

“The sports associations and clubs cannot possibly achieve these goals alone; they are dependent on a wide range of differentiated support services at all levels of government action. Only together can we face up to this future task for our society,” says Verleger.

On the final day of the IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship in Montecarlo, thrilling battles for the medals took place. In the intense gold match, Brazil secured the world championship title with a 4:0 victory over Germany, while Switzerland shone in the bronze match with a clear 4:0 win against Austria. Both games offered spectators top-class fistball and emotional excitement.

On the final day of the IFA Women’s Fistball World Championship in Montecarlo, Brazil delivered a top-notch performance, defeating defending champion Germany with a decisive 4:0. Each set was closely contested, offering spectators an exhilarating final in which small details ultimately made the difference. With this victory, Brazil claimed their second world championship title, dethroning Germany, who had dominated the last four world championships since 2014.

In the Montecarlo heat, Brazil kept their composure in critical moments, showcasing a united team effort. Germany struggled to break through the South Americans’ strong, compact defense. The first set ended 11:7 for Brazil, followed by two incredibly close sets that went into extra points, with Brazil narrowly winning 12:10 and 13:11. The fourth set also remained intense until the final match point, with Brazil sealing the victory at 11:9, sparking boundless celebrations.

Switzerland Secures Bronze with a Strong Performance

In the battle for third place, Switzerland triumphed over Austria with a 4:0 win, rewarding themselves for a solid tournament. Although Austria posed a serious challenge in the third set, pushing Switzerland to 15:13, Switzerland’s effective serves and steady teamwork carried them through. With this victory, Switzerland repeats their success from 2021, taking home the bronze medal.

The Women’s Fistball World Championship concluded with a spectacular day full of thrilling moments. Brazil now stands at the pinnacle of the world, while Germany and Switzerland also demonstrated impressive performances, leaving a powerful mark on the tournament.

Further Rankings and Qualification for the 2025 World Games

In the battle for 5th place, Chile triumphed over host Argentina in an exciting South American derby, winning decisively with a 3:0 score. This strong finish underscored Chile’s power on the international stage.

New Zealand claimed 7th place and secured the last ticket for the 2025 World Games with a clear 3:0 victory over Namibia. This achievement marked New Zealand’s best placement at a world championship to date, and their second consecutive qualification for the prestigious event since 2022.

Places 9 to 11 were contested among Colombia, the USA, and Australia. The USA secured 9th place with victories over both opponents. In a thrilling match, Australia managed to overturn a 0:2 deficit against Colombia, winning 3:2 and overtaking the South Americans at the last moment.

Final ranking:
1. Brasil, 2. Germany, 3. Switzerland, 4. Austria, 5. Chile, 6. Argentina, 7. New Zealand, 8. Namibia, 9. USA, 10. Australia, 11. Colombia

[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.