Ostrava Aims to Break the Record! Will It Reach the Highest Attendance in the History of the Men’s and Women’s World Championships?

Pardubice Leads the Attendance Records

The first Men’s World Championship held in the Czech Republic took place in 1998 in Litoměřice. It was only the second world tournament in history, and the Czech national team captured its first-ever world title. The next gold medal came in 2009 when the Czechs triumphed in Plzeň. Even then, the matches drew large crowds — 6,544 fans filled the Plzeň Ice Hockey Stadium to cheer for the Czech team in the final against India. On the same day, the Czech women also fought for bronze on home soil and celebrated third place.

Pardubice still holds the all-time attendance records. The 2017 championship, hosted in the city’s multifunctional arena and secondary hall, attracted a total of 72,520 spectators. That wasn’t the only milestone reached. The most attended single game in history remains the Czech Republic vs. Slovakia matchup on June 9, which drew 7,592 fans. A day later, the women’s final between the Czech Republic and the USA set another record with 3,256 spectators, witnessing the Czech women claim their first-ever world title. Interestingly, neither of these record-setting games was decided in regulation time.

The highest number of fans in the history of the Men’s and Women’s Ball Hockey World Championships was recorded in Pardubice in 2017. Photo credit: Andrea Jirásková

Ostrava Sets Its Sights on a New Record

The most recent Men’s and Women’s World Championship was held last year in Switzerland — specifically in Visp and Raron — where 27,095 ball hockey enthusiasts attended throughout the tournament. According to official match reports, the men’s final between Canada and the Czech Republic drew the largest crowd, with 2,946 spectators, and was decided only in double overtime. Among the women’s games, the group-stage clash between Switzerland and the Czech Republic attracted the most fans — 2,048 in total.

Next summer, ball hockey fans from all over the world will gather in Ostrava. It will be the first time this major international event is hosted in the Czech Republic’s third-largest city, but the region is already known for its passionate fan base. Last year’s Ice Hockey World Championship in Ostravar Arena drew over 250,000 fans in total, with an average of more than 8,900 spectators per game. For the upcoming Ball Hockey World Championships, organizers expect an estimated 85,000 attendees. Will Ostrava rewrite the record books? Be part of this historic moment!