How many players are there in a korfball team?

Korfball is a mixed-gender team sport, played by two teams of eight players each, with four men and four women in each team. It is one of the few team sports in which men and women play together on equal terms.

About korfball:

It was invented in 1902 by Nico Broekhuysen, a school teacher from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He was inspired by a Swedish game called "ringboll".

The name comes from the Dutch word "korf", meaning "basket".

The aim is to throw the ball into the opponent's basket (the korf), which is mounted on a post 3.5 m high. Unlike basketball, the basket has no backboard and can be approached from any side.

The court is divided into two halves (zones). In each half, two men and two women from each team play, one zone for attack and one for defence. After every two goals, the players switch zones (attack becomes defence).

Players may only defend against an opponent of the same sex, and only one-to-one.

Players cannot run with the ball, dribble it, or shoot when they are being closely defended.

The game encourages teamwork, because players must pass the ball and cannot win by individual play alone.

Organisation:

• The world governing body is the International Korfball Federation (IKF), founded in 1933, with its headquarters in the Netherlands.
• The Netherlands and Belgium are the strongest korfball nations.
• Korfball was a demonstration sport at the 1920 and 1928 Olympics and is part of the World Games.
• India has a Korfball Federation, and the sport is played in schools in some states.

Why not the other options?

• ✗6 (3 men and 3 women) is not the korfball team size.
• ✗10 (5 men and 5 women) is not the korfball team size.
• ✗Good to know
• ✗7 players per side are used in netball and kabaddi.