The IKF has this week confirmed the host for the 2014 IKF European Korfball Championships (EKC) and released the official logo.
Next year, Maia in the Porto region of Portugal will host the event. The city has approximately 35000 inhabitants and is the hometown of two famous sports organisations: FC Maia and the cycling team Uniao Ciclista de Maia.
The IKF has also confirmed all 16 countries which will be represented at the EKC; it will comprise of the first 10 ranked countries from the EKC2010: Belgium, Catalonia, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands (reigning champion), Poland, Portugal (host) and Russia. A further 6 countries who have qualified through the European Bowl Central and East will join them: Ireland, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales.
These are the exact same 16 countries which participated at the last EKC in 2010. Wales hopes to equal or improve on their last participation where they finished 11th, best of the non-ranked countries.
Read the official IKF press releases: the participants and the logo.