Korfball at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Korfball is a sport with some similarities to netball and basketball. It is played by two teams of eight players with either eight females in each team or with four females and four males in each team. The objective is to throw a ball through a bottomless basket that is mounted on a 3.5 m (11.5 ft) high pole. It is played either by mixed-gender or all-women teams. Korfball was invented in 1902 by Dutch school teacher Nico Broekhuysen. The sport has been demonstrated twice at the Olympics, in 1920 and 1928.

In 1993, korfball would be officially recognized by the IOC, and it has been part of the World Games – a multi-sport event for non-Olympic sports – since 1985. It is unlikely to be upgraded to Olympic medal status, as the sport is still primarily played in the Netherlands and, to a lesser extent, Belgium and Chinese Taipei. Mixed-gender korfball is more generally played in the north of the Netherlands, while all-female korfball is generally played in the south.