In a surprising development, Faustball Deutschland (the German Fistball Federation) has officially withdrawn its candidacy to host the 2027 Men’s World Championship for the sport of fistball. Negotiations with International Fistball Association (IFA) reportedly reached a stalemate after months of intensive discussions. According to the IFA, Germany’s proposal didn’t fully meet the updated hosting requirements, despite earlier optimism.
The decision is significant because Germany has long been one of the dominant nations in fistball. Hosting such a championship would have been a major showcase for the sport in the country. With the bid withdrawn, the IFA is now reopening the process and inviting new applicants to stage the 2027 event.
This leaves several questions for players, clubs and fans of the sport: What are the financial or infrastructural hurdles that Germany could not overcome? Will another European country step in at short notice to host? And what does this mean for the visibility of fistball in Germany leading up to 2027? What is clear is that the sport’s governing bodies want to build on the momentum of recent major tournaments and ensure a strong platform for the future. The German federation issued a statement acknowledging the decision and emphasising its commitment to supporting the sport, albeit from a different role this time.
In short: although Germany remains a powerhouse in performance on the field, hosting the 2027 World Championship is now off the agenda—at least for now.