Denmark will host IIHF World Championship 2018. The championship has just been awarded by the IIHF at the world congress in Minsk. Denmark’s only competitor was Riga, Latvia. Votes 95-12.
In 2018 Denmark will stage the IIHF World Championship in the two host cities Copenhagen and Herning. Both host cities are world class event partners based on a long sporting event tradition together with Sport Event Denmark and the national federations.
Henrik Bach Nielsen, president of Danish Ice Hockey Association, rejoice in Minsk immediately after the decision:
-This is an important victory for Danish ice hockey both sporting and organizational wise. After 12 years in the A-group it is now Denmark’s turn to host the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships together with Sport Event Denmark, Herning and Copenhagen. Now we can get down to work – we are so ready!
Upon the decision, the IIHF president, René Fasel stated:
-Congratulations Denmark! You had a very strong bid already last year against a strong competitor. I’m surprised though that the difference in the votes was that big (95-12). But this is the charm of our congress. The congress decides exclusively. Denmark is a new market to us centrally in Europe. I hope we will have a party for all ice hockey fans in Denmark.
Sport Event Denmark partners the event. CEO Lars Lundov is also very excited about yet another great world class sporting event in Denmark:
– In two weeks we have secured our second great world championship in an olympic sport in Denmark for 2018. Today we were awarded the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in Copenhagen and Herning and previously we won the 2018 ISAF Sailing World Championships. It’s really big! Says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark the national sports event organization that is involved from the early phase of bidding the final staging of major international sporting events in collaboration with national federations and host cities.
In 2018 Copenhagen will also host the World Congress which takes place in the final days in May 2018.
Denmark has never staged an IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships but has for some years now prepared for a hosting and has previously also bid for the World Championships. The two host cities, Copenhagen and Herning, have many years of hosting experiences and many more things to offer teams, federations, IIHF, guests and spectators such as the world famous Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and Legoland near Herning.
Denmark ranks #13 in the current IIHF World Ranking and has participated in the World Championship for 12 consecutive years.
The staging of the event has strong support from the Danish government, the national Olympic Committee and the cities of Copenhagen and Herning and the national sport event organization, Sport Event Denmark.
