2027 Korfball World Cup to be held in Opsterland and Smallingerland

The first-round matches will be played at the Kortezwaag Sports Hall and the SNIJ Noord Hall in Drachten, bringing international-level korfball to a wide audience. 

Elite Sports in Friesland

“This world championship showcases what we’re good at in Opsterland: sports that bring people together and connect villages,” said Alderman de Vries. “We want as many residents as possible—and especially young people—to experience for themselves how wonderful korfball is. Moreover, it’s a huge compliment to the achievements of our own LDODK in recent years. They’ve Map top-level sports in Gorredijk even more firmly on the Map !”

“For Smallingerland, this is more than just a sporting event,” said Alderman van der Zwan. “The Korfball World Cup is a tremendous opportunity to systematically strengthen sports, health, and talent development. By working together at the regional level, we’re making an impact that extends far beyond these ten days—especially for our youth and for the future of our region.”

Throughout Friesland

The organization in Friesland extends beyond the host cities alone. The municipalities of Heerenveen and Leeuwarden are also participating. Together with Sportbedrijf Drachten and Sport Fryslân, they are working on an extensive program of side events, with the aim of turning the World Cup into a province-wide korfball celebration.

In addition, the participating municipalities are strongly committed to fostering local engagement. In collaboration with schools, korfball is being incorporated into the sports program so that young people can actively experience the sport. The goal is to give everyone—young and old alike—the opportunity to experience korfball and thereby strengthen the sport’s unifying power.

Under the motto “Better Together,” the 2027 Korfball World Cup represents not only elite sports but also social impact and community connection across the country.

Kickoff

A festive kick-off event in Rotterdam on Saturday marked the start of the 2027 Korfball World Cup in the Netherlands. The tournament will take place from October 15 through 24, 2027, and is being organized by the International Korfball Federation (IKF) and the Royal Dutch Korfball Association (KNKV). Spread across twelve host cities, it will be one of the most locally organized world championships ever.