The World Broomball Championships (WBC) is the premiere international competition for the sport of

broomball Broomball is a both a recreational and organized competitive winter team sport played on ice or snow and is played either indoors or outdoors, depending on climate and location. It is a ball sport and is most popularly played in Canada and the ...

and is organized and administered by the International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA). The competition is organized every even-numbered year and is held every two years in international locations using the skills and expertise of various host cities and member associations. Most events now have a minimum of 48 teams and well over 1100 athletes attend. The vast majority of broomball players and teams are based in Canada or the USA and as a result most of the championships to date have been held in this part of the world. Traditionally World Championships see teams enter from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Teams representing

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, have also taken part but due to limited player numbers and broomball programs these nations are not able to attend each World Championship. Australia, Japan and Canada have sent teams to every World Championship.

History

The World Broomball Championships (WBC) were initially known as the, "Challenge Cup". The largest number of teams ever registered for the world championships was seen in

Ottawa, Canada Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

at the 2012 World Broomball Championships. *The first World Broomball Championships were held in

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. Th ...

in 1991. The event was attended by over 800 athletes and 44 teams. *The 1998 World Broomball Championships were held in Bolzano, Italy. *The 2010 World Broomball Championships were held in

with venues in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...

and

Telfs Telfs is a market town in the district of Innsbruck-Land in the Austrian state of Tyrol, west of Innsbruck. It is the third largest municipality in Tyrol Tyrol (; historically the Tyrole; de-AT, Tirol ; it, Tirolo) is a historical regio ...

, and were organized and run directly by the Board of the International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA). *The 2014 World Broomball Championships were the eleventh edition of the championships and were held in Tomakomai, Japan. *The 2016 World Broomball Championships were held in

Regina, Saskatchewan Regina () is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province, after Saskatoon, and is a commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. As of the 2021 C ...

, Canada, and were hosted by the Saskatchewan Broomball Association, a member association of Broomball Canada. *The 2018 World Broomball Championships were held in

Blaine, Minnesota Blaine is a suburban city in Anoka and Ramsey counties in the State of Minnesota, United States. Once a rural town, Blaine's population has increased significantly in the last 60 years. For several years, Blaine led the Twin Cities metro region i ...

, United States. It was the thirteenth edition of the championships.

Competition format

The World Championships are primarily held between member association national teams but club teams are also accepted. There are different divisions: * Men's - 2 divisions (full contact) * Women's (non contact) * Mixed (co-ed - non contact) * Masters (non contact)

Champions

Key: WC = World Cup Division (top division); CC = Challenge Cup Division (second division); NAC = North American Cup (third division). {, class="wikitable sortable" , - ! Year ! Host City ! Men's Champion ! Women's Champion ! Mixed (Coed)
Champion , - , 1991 ,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Embrun Plumbing , Amigo Bécancour (Qc) , Selkirk Flying Angels , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 1996 ,

, Ottawa , Not Contested , Edmonton Selects , - , 1998 ,

Bolzano Bolzano ( or ; german: Bozen, (formerly ); bar, Bozn; lld, Balsan or ) is the capital city of the province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. With a population of 108,245, Bolzano is also by far the largest city in South Tyrol and the third la ...

, Montreal , Not Contested , Minnesota Flames , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 2000 ,

, Ottawa Nationals , Not Contested , Edmonton Extreme , - , 2002 ,

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

, USA Red , Not Contested , Cabano , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 2004 ,

Corner Brook Corner Brook ( 2021 population: 19,333 CA 29,762) is a city located on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Corner Brook is the fifth largest settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador. ...

, Ottawa Nationals , Durham Angels , Briquetal , - , 2006 , Blaine , Le Frost (WC) St Paul Barons (CC) Colorado Crusaders (NAC) , Minnesota Selects (WC) Australia Dingoes (CC) , East Ontario Wildcats (WC)

Manitoba Rebels (CC) , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 2008 ,

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

, Le Frost (WC) , McMillan Sand and Gravel (WC) , Eastern Ontario Wildcats (WC) , - , 2010 ,

, Le Frost (WC) Ottawa Icemen (CC) , Italy Girls (WC) Lapierre Sport / Olymel Cornwall (CC) , Canada - New Brunswick (WC) Broomball Club Belluno Mixed (CC) , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 2012 ,

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, Ottawa Nationals , Ottawa Stars , Broom-Shak Bécancour (QC) , - , 2014 ,

Tomakomai is a city and port in Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the largest city in the Iburi Subprefecture, and the fourth largest city in Hokkaido. As of 29 February 2012, it had an estimated population of 174,216, with 83,836 households, ...

, Ravens Yellowknike (NWT) , Rebels Yellowknife (NWT) , GT Quebec (QC) , -bgcolor="#f0f0f0" , 2016 , Regina , Ottawa Nationals , Huskies (QC) , Broom-Shak Bécancour (QC) , - , 2018 , , Blaine , Ottawa Nationals (ON) , Amigo Bécancour (QC) , Broom-Shak Bécancour (QC){{cite web , url=http://www.internationalbroomball.com/ , title=Home , website=internationalbroomball.com , -

External links

Broomball

History

Competition format

Champions

See also

External links