Chengdu, China – The fistball tournament at The World Games 2025 started today at Tianfu Park in Chengdu, marking the sport’s official debut on natural grass in mainland China. With eight men’s and eight women’s teams competing across Gold and Silver groups, the opening day delivered a full schedule of high-level competition and closely contested matches.
Women’s Tournament:
Gold Group: Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Silver Group: Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, USA
Silver Group Delivers Early Highlights
The Women’s Silver Group provided some of the most gripping contests of the day. Argentina opened their campaign with a hard-fought victory over the United States, securing the 3-0 win after a tense and high-quality second set. New Zealand followed with a narrow 3-2 win over Chile, leaning on disciplined defense and composure in the final stages despite wet ground conditions.
In the evening session, Argentina and New Zealand faced off in another tight encounter. Both teams showed resilience and tactical awareness, but Argentina again emerged victorious 3-2 in the deciding set, finishing the day with two wins from two matches.
Women’s Gold Group: Established Powers Take the Field
In the Gold Group, Brazil began their tournament with a strategic lineup rotation that proved effective in a five-set win over Switzerland. Despite the loss, the Swiss team received strong support from traveling fans. Meanwhile, Germany opened with a commanding winning performance against Austria, using versatile offensive patterns and disciplined defense to secure a straight-sets victory.
In the evening session, Brazil faced Austria in a clash of early frontrunners. After controlling the first two sets, Brazil recovered from an Austrian resurgence in the third to close out the match in four sets 3-1. Later in the day, Switzerland and Germany met in a highly anticipated matchup. Switzerland responded to their earlier defeat with a 3:2 win in overtime, overcoming a strong German start to pull off the upset.
Men’s Tournament:
Gold Group: Germany, Austria, Brazil, Switzerland
Silver Group: Chile, Argentina, Italy, New Zealand
Silver Group Begins with Tight Contests
In the Men’s Silver Group, Chile outlasted Italy in a tense five-set battle on Court 1. The match featured high-intensity rallies and decisive attacking play from both sides, with Chile holding firm in the final set. Argentina overcame a sluggish start to defeat New Zealand in a five-set nailbiter against New Zealand.
Men’s Gold Group: Brazil and Austria Make Strong Statements
Brazil opened their campaign with a 3:1 win over reigning world champions Germany, showcasing balanced play and cohesive execution across all positions. Austria followed with a 3:0 sweep of Switzerland, demonstrating squad depth by rotating all 10 players and maintaining control throughout.
Looking ahead and local commitment
With several top contenders already showing their form and others seeking to recover from early losses, the second day of fistball action is set to be pivotal in determining knockout stage positioning. Group play concludes with the last matches of preliminary Round on Sunday, August 10.
The opening day marked not only by high-level international performance but also by strong engagement from local spectators. Tianfu Park’s venue layout—set within a public green space—allowed for significant exposure to new audiences in China. The International Fistball Association (IFA) noted the symbolic importance of launching the competition in Chengdu, with Chinese sports educators and officials receiving training in advance to support local development of the sport.
