The IFA Fistball World Tour Final 2023 will take place again in Brazil. Clube Duque de Caxias will host again the most important Fistball club championship in Curitiba from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 October 2023. Duque de Caxias was already host of the 2022 Finals and decided in its last board meeting to overtake this year’s event again. The winners of the continental club competitions and the best teams in the World Tour Ranking will meet in Curitiba.

“The best 8 male and female club teams of the world compete in Curitiba. We are very excited that the World Tour Finals 2023 take place at Clube Duque de Caxias again. The club organized the best Finals in its young history already last year. A lot of spectators celebrated a big Fistball festival. To bring back this event to one of the best clubs in the world and experienced organizers guarantees a great experience for all participating teams”, says IFA President Jörn Verleger.

Clube Duque de Caxias is a very experienced host

The host club Duque de Caxias is qualified with their men’s and women’s team as 7th (men) and 6th (women) in the last World Tour ranking and as host. In both competitions the teams count to favorite teams to win the World Tour Finals besides others. In 2018 the Women’s team of Duque de Caxias won the first World Tour Final edition, in 2022 the female team achieved the silver medal, the male team won bronze.

The club is well-known for top sports performance as well as a Fistball event organizer. Curitiba was not only host of the Finals 2022 but already host of the former Fistball World Cup in 2017. Clube Duque de Caxias was also host of the 2016 Women’s World Championship. “It doesn’t matter what Fistball competition is organized by the club, they create always a very special and unique atmosphere for athletes as well as for spectators and everyone feels welcome in Curitiba”, Jörn Verleger says.

“We will see the best women’s and men’s teams that have qualified as continental champions or via the World Tour. Each of the nearly 130 teams that took part in the last edition of the World Tour had the chance to qualify for the final. We are looking forward to high-quality matches in Curitiba,” says Gastao Englert, Chairman of the IFA Sports Commission.

Teams from four countries

Teams from Brazil, USA, Germany and Austria are part of the World Tour Finals. The defending champions TSV Pfungstadt (Men, Germany) and SOGIPA (Women, Brazil) will also take part.
Tigers Vöcklabruck (Men, Austria) and TV Jahn Schneverdingen (Women, Germany) qualified as European Champions. North America champion Swim and Sport Club (Men) from New Jersey and Pan-American champion SG Novo Hamburgo (Men) from Brazil participates as continental champion too.
In the women’s category TSV Dennach (GER), ASKÖ Seekirchen (AUT), VfL Kellinghusen (GER), SG Novo Hamburgo (BRA) and host Duque de Caxias as well as Union Nussbach (AUT) are qualified via the ranking list for the Final event.
In the men’s event beside of the continental champions SOGIPA (BRA), DSG UKJ Froschberg (AUT), UFG Grieskirchen/Pötting (AUT) as well as host Duque de Caxias are qualified via the World Tour ranking.

Qualified for the World Tour Finals 2023 are the following teams:

Men’s category:
• Champions Cup winner 2022: Union Tigers Vöcklabruck (AUT)
• Pan-America winner as well as the best team in the World Tour 2022: SG Novo Hamburgo (BRA)
• North American Championship winner: SSC – Swim and Sport Club (USA)
• Defending champion from 2022: TSV Pfungstadt (GER)

As the first four of 8 starting places have been awarded to Vöcklabruck, Pfungstadt, SSC and Novo Hamburgo, the best 4 teams in the men’s World Tour Ranking can look forward to participating in the World Tour Finals 2023:
• SOGIPA Porto Alegre (BRA) (2nd place in the World Tour Ranking)
• DSG UKJ Froschberg (AUT) (3rd place in the World Tour Ranking)
• UFG Grieskirchen/Pötting (AUT) (4th place in the World Tour Ranking)
• Clube Duque de Caxias (BRA) (5th place in the World Tour Ranking)

Women’s category:
• Champions Cup winner 2022: TV Jahn Schneverdingen (GER)
• Pan-America winner as well as defending champion and the best team in the World Tour 2022: SOGIPA (BRA)

Additionally, the best female teams of the World Tour Ranking 2022 are qualified:
• TSV Dennach (GER) (2nd place in the World Tour Ranking)
• ASKÖ Seekirchen (AUT) (3rd place in the World Tour Ranking)
• VfL Kellinghusen (GER) (4th place in the World Tour Ranking)
• SG Novo Hamburgo (BRA) (5th place in the World Tour Ranking)
• Duque de Caxias (BRA) (6th place in the World Tour Ranking)
• Union Nussbach (AUT, 7th place in the World Tour Ranking)