A warm welcome to the official website of the EGCA Youth (U23)Championships 2026. The 4th edition of the competition will be held in Antalya, Türkiye from 5th to 8th November organized by Isparta Blind Sports Club in cooperation with EGCA.
VENUE AND ACCOMMODATION
The tournament will be played at the Atatürk Spor Salonu (address: Kızlar Pınarı Mah., Şoförler Odası Sok., No:13/2, Alanya, Antalya). The floor material of the sport hall is wooden floor and the´spectator capacity of the venue is 1600.
The competition hotel will be the TAÇ Premier Hotel & Spa (address: Saray, Atatürk Blv. No:158, 07460 Alanya/Antalya). Distance between the hotel and the venue is 1,2 km.
Contact Details
The tournament director is Ömer Gökkaya
Email: omrgkky06@gmail.com
Phone: +905346324564
EGCA representative is Stefan Stevanovic
Email: stevanovic06@gmail.com
Phone: +38169659996
EVENT SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Will be updated soon
PARTICIPATING CLUBS & PLAY SYSTEM
Please find line-ups of the participating clubs here
Eight teams from six different countries will participate in the tournament. The teams have been divided into two preliminary groups of four teams each as follows:
Group A: Isparta (TUR), RGC Hansa Rostock (GER), Aisti Sport (FIN), GC Lyon’s Golden Flash (FRA)
Group B: FSBU Gothenburg (SWE), Aarhus Goalball (DEN), Old Power (FIN), 6 Subat (TUR)
Within the groups, teams played a single round-robin format. After the group stage, the tournament advanced to the quarterfinals, where the winner of one group faced the fourth-placed team of the other group, and the second-placed team faced the third-placed team from the other group.
The winners of the quarterfinals advanced to the semifinals, while the losing teams played placement matches for places 5–8.
The quarter-final losers are ranked based on their results at the Group Stage. The two teams with the best Group Stage results will play for 5th and 6th place, while the two teams with the weakest Group Stage results will play for 7th and 8th place in the tournament.
The winners of the semifinals advanced to the tournament final. The teams that lose in the semifinals competed in the bronze medal match.
The tournament was played under existing IBSA 2025 rules.
A team earned 3 points from awin, 1 point from a draw and 0 points for a loss in a preliminary group game. The ranking of teams in a preliminary group was determined by following system:
A. Earned points
B. Goal difference
C. Goals against
D. If two teams remain tied after criteria A–C, priority shall be given to the team that won the head-to-head match between them
E. If 2 teams remain tied after A-D criteria, there is an extra throw competition organized between those teams to determine their ranking
In the quarterfinals, semifinals, medal matches, and placement matches, each game is played to a decisive result. If the match is tied after regulation time, a 6-minute golden goal overtime is played (the first team to score wins). If the game remains tied after overtime, an extra throws competition is used to determine the winner.
ATHLETE REGULATIONS
(1) Athletes from each gender who comply with IBSA standards can participate;
(2) Teams can be consisted by girls, boys or mixed;
(3) A team must name minimum 4 and can name maximum 6 athletes to its squad at the Youth Championships;
(4) An athlete who have born on 1st January 2003 or later are eligible to participate;
(5) One overage athlete is allowed (maximum one year overage) if a team has only three U23 athletes;
(6) This is a separate competition and if an athlete has played in other EGCA competitions or represent another club during the year it doesn’t prevent him / her to participate in this tournament;
(7) Unclassified athletes (also sighted) are allowed at a at the Youth Championships;
(8) A team can name maximum 2 foreign athletes to its squad at the Youth Championships. Foreign athlete is an athlete who is not living permanently or have a nationality of a country where a team comes from;
Attention: In unclear situations, EGCA may ask the athlete to provide proof of residence.
(9) In EGCA Youth (U23) Championships it is mandatory for the clubs to send with the entry form a photo of ID / passport of each athlete that we can ensure their age;
(10) Failure to comply with registration rules results in a 10-0 loss in the game.
REFEREES, PROTEST & TOURNAMENT JURY
Following referees officiate in the tournament:
Alexander Knecht – Germany
Mustafa Konu – Türkiye
Ebreham Muhammed – Egypt
Theresa Stahl – Germany
Hamdy Wetwet – Egypt
10 Second Referees:
Ahmed Aslan – Türkiye
Kübra Bozer – Türkiye
Seyma Turan – Türkiye
Protest: A protest should be given literally to the chief referee or EGCA representative within an half hour after a game. Protest fee is 100 € and it must be paid by cash at the same time than a club is leaving the protest to the chief referee or EGCA representative. You can find protest document on the official table.
The tournament jury will consider the protest and give its decision as soon as possible.
If the protest is acknowledged, the money is given back. If not, the money will go to the EGCA for development of club goalball.
The tournament jury is consisted by:
Tournament Director – Ömer Gökkaya
Referee Representative – Alexander Knecht (if Alexander has officiated in the game that is under the protest, he will be replaced by another referee who has not officiated in the game)
EGCA Representative – Stefan Stevanovic
LIVESTREAM & SOCIAL MEDIA
All the matches will be livestreamed on the EGCA GoalballTV YouTube channel.
Tournament preview, daily results and recaps as well as the final summary of the tournament will be published on EGCA Facebook and Instagram.
FINAL RANKING
Waiting for the results
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Waiting for the results
GROUP STANDINGS & SCORER LIST
Group Standings (a link will be updated closer to the tournament)
Scorer List (a link will be updated closer to the tournament)
GAME SCHEDULE
Attention: Time zone of Antalya, Türkiye is UTC+3
FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2026
Game Number / Start Time / Group / Home Team – Away Team
1 / 09:00 / Group A / RGC Hansa Rostock – Aisti Sport
Scorers / RGC Hansa:
Scorers / Aisti Sport:
2 / 10:10 / Group A / Isparta – GC Lyon’s Golden Flash
Scorers / Isparta:
Scorers / Golden Flash:
3 / 11:20 / Group B / Aarhus Goalball – 6 Şubat
Scorers / Aarhus:
Scorers / 6 Subat:
4 / 12:30 / Group B / FSBU Gothenburg – Old Power
Scorers / FSBU:
Scorers / Old Power:
5 / 13:35 / Group A / GC Lyon’s Golden Flash – RGC Hansa Rostock
Scorers / Golden Flash:
Scorers / RGC Hansa:
6 / 14:40 / Group A / Aisti Sport – Isparta
Scorers / Aisti Sport:
Scorers / Isparta:
7 / 15:45 / Group B / Old Power – Aarhus Goalball
Scorers / Old Power:
Scorers / Aarhus:
8 / 16:50 / Group B / 6 Şubat – FSBU Gothenburg
Scorers / 6 Subat:
Scorers / FSBU:
9 / 17:55 / Group A / Isparta – RGC Hansa Rostock
Scorers / Isparta:
Scorers / RGC Hansa Rostock:
10 / 19:00 / Group A / Aisti Sport – GC Lyon’s Golden Flash
Scorers / Aisti Sport:
Scorers / Golden Flash:
SATURDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2026
11 / 08:40 / Group B / FSBU Gothenburg – Aarhus Goalball
12 / 09:50 / Group B / Old Power – 6 Şubat
13 / 12:00 / Quarter Final 1 / 1st Group A – 4th Group B
14 / 13:10 / Quarter Final 2 / 2nd Group B – 3rd Group A
15 / 14:20 / Quarter Final 3 / 1st Group B – 4th Group A
16 / 15:30 / Quarter Final 4 / 2nd Group A – 3rd Group B
17 / 16:40 / Semifinal 1 / Winner QF1 – Winner QF2
18 / 18:50 / Semifinal 2 / Winner QF3 – Winner QF4
19 / 19:00 / Places 7-8 / The second lowest ranked club of the Group Stage – The lowest ranked club of the Group Stage
SUNDAY 8th NOVEMBER 2026
21 / 09:50 / Bronze Medal Game / Loser SF1 – Loser SF2
22 / 11:00 / Gold Medal Game / Winner SF1 – Winner SF2