About the Championship

After nine years, the Men’s and Women’s Ball Hockey World Championship will return to the Czech Republic in 2026. For the first time in history, this prestigious event will take place in Moravia and Silesia, specifically in the city of Ostrava. From June 20 to June 28, the world’s best male and female ball hockey players will compete on both rinks of Ostravar Aréna, which also offers extensive facilities including an athletics hall.

Preparations for this exceptional championship were launched by the Czech Ball Hockey Federation (ČMSHb) two years in advance. A key milestone came in September 2024, when the ČMSHb, the Moravian-Silesian Region, and the Statutory City of Ostrava signed a memorandum of cooperation to jointly organize and financially support this major sporting event.

The World Championship in Ostrava will feature 16 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams from across the globe. Fans can look forward to teams representing Armenia, Bermuda, Finland, France, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Italy, the Cayman Islands, Canada, Lebanon, Portugal, Greece, Slovakia, Switzerland, the USA, Great Britain, and of course, the host nation, the Czech Republic.

One of the main ambitions of the championship is to break attendance records. The most attended tournament so far was held in Pardubice in 2017, attracting 72,520 spectators. That same championship also set the record for the largest crowd at a single game, when 7,592 fans watched the match between the Czech Republic and India.

However, the Ostrava championship will offer much more than just thrilling matches. The side program will involve schools and kindergartens, while local personalities, athletes, and ambassadors of the city and region will also take part. The aim is to raise the visibility of ball hockey not only in the Moravian-Silesian Region but also on a nationwide level.