News

28.7-28.8.2010 - Men´s WFC 2012 to be played in Bern and Zürich

As the host for the 2012 Men’s World Floorball Championships, swiss unihockey intends to stage the title matches in the Berne and Zurich area.

Now that the Women’ World Floorball Championships have been allotted to St Gallen, the location for the Men’s World Floorball Championships scheduled for 2-9 December 2012 is clear: swiss unihockey’s Board has chosen the Hallenstadion in Zurich for the semi-finals and the medal games. The preliminary matches involving 16 participating teams and the quarter finals will take place in the Wankdorf Sporthalle in Berne and the Saalsporthalle Zurich; all the Swiss national team’s preliminary games will definitely be staged in Berne. “Requirements and infrastructure favour the Hallenstadion” “The requirements laid down by the International Floorball Federation (IFF) and the available infrastructure at the Hallenstadion spoke clearly in favour of Zurich. Although the Postfinance Arena in Berne can accommodate more spectators, the Hallenstadion has more seating accommodation, so spectators can enjoy floorball in more comfort. Another factor was the IFF’s stipulation that specific temperatures should be maintained in the playing and spectator areas; these demands could not be met in the Postfinance Arena as the arena is built as an unheated open space - certainly more than just a minor challenge in December. And finally, swiss unihockey can have unrestricted use of the Hallenstadion during the weekend of the finals – it will be used exclusively for floorball”, says Edwin Wiedmer, the chairman of swiss unihockey, explaining the decision. The first time swiss unihockey hosted the World Championships was back in 2004 when the title matches were played in the Saalsporthalle Zurich and at the Schluefweg ice rink. Back then the Swiss national team fought its way to third place in Kloten in front of a capacity crowd (8,800 spectators). Therefore, in view of the large attendances at the finals of the Men’s World Championships in 2008 (14,208 in the O2 Arena in Prague) and in 2006 (12,535 in the Globe Arena at Stockholm) swiss unihockey could only consider two venues for 2012 – the Hallenstadion in Zurich and the Postfinance Arena in Berne. Floorball in the Hallenstadion for the first time The Hallenstadion in Zurich was completely refurbished in 2005 and is Switzerland’s largest polyvalent sports arena seating a capacity crowd of 13,000 spectators. “The company running the Hallenstadion Zurich, the ‘AG Hallenstadion’, is very pleased to be hosting the Men’s World Floorball Championships. Once again we are privileged to demonstrate the suitability of the facilities for major sporting events to the world at large by presenting a new type of sport at the Hallenstadion. We are convinced that the spectacular finals will be held before the backdrop of an audience worthy of the world championships.” The Saalsporthalle in Zurich, where swiss unihockey staged the “Star Games” for many years, has seating for 2,300. The swiss unihockey Cup Final Day takes place every year at the beginning of March in the Sporthalle Wankdorf in Berne that seats about 2,500 persons. On the sporting scene at 7 previous world championships the Swiss Men’s National Floorball Team has won 5 medals – 4 bronze and 1 silver. Getting to the final in Prague in 1998 was therefore the team’s best result until now. The 8th title series will be held next December in Helsinki and Vantaa (Finland). Source: Swiss Unihockey