Very good news for fistball at the SportAccord Convention in Bangkok (THA): The International World Games Association (IWGA) decided to run a women’s competition with six teams and increase the men’s event from six to eight nations at the next World Games 2021 in Birmingham (USA).

“It’s a big day for fistball. Our efforts during the last years were rewarded and we are very glad to play a women’s competition at the next World Games 2021. At the same time, the men’s competition will be increased by two teams to eight nations. Many thanks to the IWGA and all those involved for their commitment and engagement to make this happen,” says IFA President Karl Weiß, pleased about the great success.

“We are really happy about this success for fistball! We are starting now to prepare for the World Games 2021 in terms of qualification mode, venues, game mode and much more. The first talks with the organizers in Birmingham have already taken place within the framework of the SportAccord Bangkok and a lot of work is now waiting for us – but we are looking forward to it and at the same time all fistball fans can look forward to historic World Games in 3 years in the USA”, says IFA Secretary General Jörn Verleger.

“Fistball was always a highlight since the first participation at The World Games 1985 in London”, said IWGA Secretary General Joachim Gossow. “Together with the Birmingham Organizing Committee we decided to extend the showcase of the very dynamic sport.“

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Austria and Switzerland participated in the last World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL). In a dramatic final team Germany defeated Switzerland 4:3.

The World Games
The World Games take place every four years in the year following each Olympic Summer Games. More than 25 non-Olympic sports are showcased and feature 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries competing for gold in more than 180 medal events. The organizer is the International World Games Association (IWGA), founded in 1980, under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

42,771 spectators at the Opening Ceremony, 4,000 participants from 100 nations and 222 medal deci-sions broadcasted in 120 countries made The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw (POL) the world’s largest multi-sport event of the past year!

We are to inform you that Lufthansa Group will be the official Partner Airline of the IFA 2018 Fistball Women’s World Championship Austria. Therefore Lufthansa offers a special price for all guests and participants of the World Championship for your travel to the airports Linz, Salzburg and Vienna.

You can book flights from 17 July to 15 August, so you are able to extend your stay in Austria and receive also the cheaper flight prizes.

How does it work?
Special offer: Discounted travel with Lufthansa Group Partner Airlines

Lufthansa Group Partner Airlines offer a comprehensive global route network linking major cities around the world. We offer special prices and conditions to all guests and participants of the IFA 2018 Fistball Women’s World Championship and their travel companions to Linz, Salzburg and Vienna.

To make a reservation, please click on www.lh.com/event-flight-booking and enter the access code ATZQPBQ in the “Offer for discounted flights” area. This will open an online booking platform that will automatically calculate the discount offered or provide you with an even better offer if another promotional fare is available. It’s possible to book flights between 17 July to 15 August and one booking is only possible up to 9 people.

NOTE: Pop-ups must be enabled otherwise the booking platform window will not open.

These promotional fares are also available through your IATA / ARC travel agent. Travel agents can obtain ticketing instructions by sending an email to lufthansa.mobility@dlh.de and providing the access code as a reference.

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

The South American Tour of our Fistball World Tour is still going on. The first Major tournament in the men’s competition took place in Novo Hamburgo last weekend with Duque de Caxias as champions.
The next big tournament is still in front of us and the teams are going to Porto Alegre, where the next Major in the men’s and the women’s competition is held. Overall 78 (!) teams in 11 different categories participate at the 25th Copa Porto Alegre International de Punhobol.

Clube Duque de Caxias is leader of the World Tour Ranking presented by Sportastic at the moment, just 100 points behind SG Novo Hamburgo/Rissul is on the second place in the men’s ranking. Teams from 6 countries (Brasil, Argentina, Chile, Austria, Germany, Switzerland) want to win the trophy in Porto Alegre.
In the women’s competition Clube Duque de Caxias also leads the ranking. Host Sogipa Porto Alegre is on the second position and want to be leader after the tournament at home. Here compete teams from three nations (Brasil, Argentina, Switzerland) for the winner of the tournament.

After the group draw on 7 March IFA published the official schedule to the U18 Men’s and Women’s World Championship in the USA. The matches starts on Wednesday, 11 July July at 10am (US time), the finals start on Sunday, 15 July at 3:30pm (US time).

Find the schedule here: U18WC Schedule

The IFA has now published the U18WC Bulletin 2 with all information for the participating teams.

Group drawing:

After the group draw on 7 March IFA published the official schedule to the Women’s World Championship in Austria. The matches starts on 24 July at 11am, the final takes place on Saturday, 28 July at 6pm.
Find the schedule here: WWC Schedule

The IFA has now published the 18WWC_Bulletin 2 with all information for the participating teams.

Group drawing:

IFA has published the official poster of the IFA 2018 Fistball World Tour Final developed by designer Florian Starck (www.gettheflow.at).

The artwork is featuring the players Stephanie Dannecker (Calw/GER), Sabine Suffert (SOGIPA/BRA), Kolja Meyer (TV Vaihingen/GER) and Ueli Rebsamen (STV Wigoltingen/SUI).

Today IFA published details in the Official Bulletin 1 of the IFA 2018 Fistball Men’s and Women´s Masters World Cup Vöcklabruck which will take place in Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria, Austria, from 20 – 22 July 2018.

Team registration deadline: 31 March 2018

The event is organized by the International Fistball Association (IFA) in cooperation with Faustball Austria (ÖFBB) and Tigers Vöcklabruck.

Find here the Official Bulletin 1.

The IFA Board of Directors sent out a proposal for the IFA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION AND QUALIFICATION CRITERIA to the Regional Associations and representatives for feedback latest until 17th of March 2018.
Due to logistical reasons the number of participants in an IFA competition should generally be limited to 16 teams. In that case IFA should establish a system of qualification which nations are invited and ac-cepted and which existing competitions might be used to decide the admission.
The leading principle for this proposal is the universality of Fistball.
Determination (draft):
1. Deadline for team registration: 1 year before the event (e.g. #fistball19MWC: 10 August 2018)
2. Counting only team registrations from member federations, which have already paid the mem-bership fee for the current year, a deposit of 500,00 € for registration until the deadline of the team registration and no further liabilities to IFA (e.g. #fistball19MWC: fee 2018 and deposit of 500,00 € paid until 10 August 2018)
3. Applying the “IFA World Championship Selection and Qualification Criteria” only if there are more than 16 teams after step 1 and 2; if less team apply all teams are accept.
4. Introduction of a minimum quota of 1 team per Regional Association
5. Decision that no Regional Association should send 50% or more of the participants that means a maximum of 7 teams per Regional Association)

IFA World Championship Selection and Qualification Criteria (draft):
A. The Regional Association should be represented by
a. the Regional Champion (of the respective category)
i. of the year before the event if the Regional Championship is held before end of November in that year or
ii. of the year before if there was no Regional Championship in that year or
iii. of two years before if the was no competition according ii. or
b. the highest ranked team from the concerning Regional Association which participated at the last World Championships if a. is no applicable.
B. As a next step all teams finished TOP 8 at the last World Championships are added/qualified.
C. The remaining places are provided to team from the Regional Association according to a quota referring to the number of members reported to the IOC from the respective Regional Associa-tion. The teams within this quota are ranked by
a. the Regional Champions (of the respective category)
i. of the year before the event if the Regional Championship is held before end of November in that year or
ii. of the year before if there was no Regional Championship in that year or
iii. of two years before if the was no competition according ii. or
b. the highest ranked teams from that Regional Association, which participated in the last World Championships (of the respective category) if no Regional Championship was con-ducted within the last three years before the year of the respective World Championship or
c. by decision of the Board of the Regional Association if b. is not applicable. The Board should take into account national matches played between the teams.

Within the last meeting the IFA Board of Directors approved new Fistball – Rules of the Games valid 1 April 2018 with minor changes concerning the weight of junior balls and ball contacts.

The IFA Youth Congress 2016 proposed a change of the ball weight which was also supported by the chairwomen of the IFA Medical and Anti-Doping Commission Dr. Giana Hexsel (BRA) to reducing the number of injuries.

Furthermore the IFA Youth Commission proposed a change of the ball contacts in the age group of U12 from 4 to 3 or 4. Both variations have been integrated in the official IFA Fistball Rules valid 1 April 2018. The final decision concerning the ball contacts should be made by each national federation on it’s own as there are no international championships in theses age groups.

Furthermore in the German versions the (in some cases) used terminology “Damen” or “Herren” has been changed to “Frauen” or “Männer” to be consistent.