Sport | Floorball |
---|---|
Founded | 1993 |
No. of teams | 8 men's and 8 women's |
Countries | Czech Republic Finland Sweden Switzerland |
Confederation | IFF |
Most recent champion(s) | M: Tatran Střešovice W: Thorengruppen (2024) |
Most titles | M: Sweden (23) W: Sweden (24) |
Related competitions | EuroFloorball Cup, EuroFloorball Challenge |
Official website | floorballchampionscup |
The Champions Cup is floorball tournament organized by the International Floorball Federation for the best clubs from the top four countries according to IFF World Ranking. Since 2019, those are Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Switzerland, both for men and women. The tournament culminates every year in January both for men's and women's teams, that won in the previous season in their national league and cup competitions. The leagues are Finnish F-liiga, Swedish Svenska Superligan, Czech men's Superliga florbalu and women's Extraliga žen ve florbale and Swiss Unihockey Prime League. That means, there are eight men's and either women's teams in the tournament in total. [1]
In various formats, the tournament took place 29 times, the last time in 2024. The first tournament was played in 1993. The new format with eight teams is used since 2024. Swedes won most titles, 23 in men's and 24 in women's tournaments. [2]
There are other tournaments organized for clubs from European countries at lower ranks: EuroFloorball Cup for countries at the fifth through tenth rank, and EuroFloorball Challenge for the rest. [2]
The first international club tournament was European Cup. It took place the first time in 1993. [2] In 2008, the tournament was renamed to EuroFloorball Cup due to a naming conflict.
In 2011, the tournament was split to the Champions Cup for six teams and the EuroFloorball Cup for the rest. The Champions Cup was played by teams from the top five ranked countries. The hosting country had two teams in the tournament. In all tournaments played in this format, teams from the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland competed. The sixth participant in men's tournament varied throughout the years from Germany, Latvia and Norway. In women's tournament, they were from Latvia, Norway and Russia.
The tournament was further split in 2019 to the Champions Cup for clubs from the top four countries, and EuroFloorball Cup and EuroFloorball Challenge for rest. At the same time, a tournament term was changed from October to January of the next year. For this reason, there was no tournament in 2018. The competing countries alternated in hosting the tournament. The event lasted two days.
Since 2024, the format was changed to include national cup winners too. In quarterfinals, Czech and Swiss teams (southern conference) and Swedish and Finnish teams (northern conference) face each other. For semifinals, opponents are drawn. Both these stages are played in two legged format. In finals, only one game is played. [1]
Floorball is a type of floor hockey with five players and a goalkeeper in each team. It is played indoors with 96–115.5 cm-long (37.8–45.5 in) sticks and a 70–72 mm-diameter (2.76–2.83 in) plastic ball with holes. Matches are played in three twenty-minute periods. The sport of bandy also played a role in the game's development.
Swedish Super League is the highest league in the league system of Swedish floorball and comprises the top 14 Swedish floorball teams. The first season began in 1995–96. The season ends with a play-off and a final.
AIK Innebandy is a Swedish floorball club and a department of AIK. The men's team played in Sweden's highest division, SSL, from the year 2000, but was relegated to Herrar Allsvenskan Norra in 2018 after ending the season 2017/2018 as second last. AIK won their first championship in 2006 when they defeated Pixbo Wallenstam IBK in the SSL final. In 2009 they won their second championship, beating Warberg IC in the final. The team is back in Sweden’s highest division SSL the season 2022/2023.
The 2007–08 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Finals took place in Vantaa, Finland, from 9 to 13 January 2008. Allmänna Idrottsklubben Innebandyförening, better known simply as AIK, won the EuroFloorball Cup for the second year in a row after narrowly defeating Warberg IC 2–1 in sudden victory overtime.
The 2007–08 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Qualifying rounds took place over 29 August – 9 September 2007 in three different host nations. The winner of each group advanced to the 2007–08 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Finals, where they had a chance to win the EuroFloorball Cup for 2007–08. A total of 15 teams played in the qualifying round, all from different countries.
The 2008 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Qualifying rounds took place over 13 to 31 August 2008 in three different host nations. The winner of each group advanced to the 2008 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Finals, where they had a chance to win the EuroFloorball Cup for 2008. A total of 18 teams played in the qualifying round, all from different countries.
The 2008 Women's EuroFloorball Cup Qualifying rounds took place over 14 to 31 August 2008 in three different host nations. The winner of each group advanced to the 2008 Women's EuroFloorball Cup Finals, where they had a chance to win the EuroFloorball Cup for 2008. A total of fifteen teams played in the qualifying rounds, all from different countries.
The 2008 Men's EuroFloorball Cup Finals were held in Winterthur, Switzerland from 8 to 12 October 2008.
The 2008 Women's EuroFloorball Cup Finals took place in Winterthur, Switzerland from 8 to 12 October 2008.
Czech Open is an international floorball tournament. It takes place every year in August in Prague, Czech Republic. It is one of the largest floorball tournaments in the world. Every year over 200 teams from around the world participate. The first season was played in 1993. The tournament is organized by Prague floorball club Tatran Střešovice.
Swedish Super League is the highest league in the league system of Swedish women's floorball and comprises the top 14 Swedish floorball teams. The first season began in 1997–98. The season ends with the playoffs and a final.
The 2009 Men's U-19 World Floorball Championships were the fifth world championships in men's U-19 floorball. The tournament took place over May 6–10, 2009 in Turku, Finland.
The Canada Cup Floorball Championship, more commonly referred to as The Canada Cup, is an international floorball club open competition held annually during the Victoria Day long weekend in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Czech Men's National Floorball Team is the national floorball team of the Czech Republic, and a member of the International Floorball Federation. Its biggest successes are silver medals from the 5th World Championships in 2004 and 14th World Championships in 2022, which both took place in Switzerland. The team also won three bronze medals in 2010, 2014 and 2021. That makes Czech team the third most successful team after Sweden and Finland. Czech Republic has appeared in every World and European Championships tournament organised by the IFF.
The 2014 Men's World Floorball Championships were the 10th World Championships in men's floorball. The tournament took place in Gothenburg, Sweden in December 2014. Home team Sweden defended their title in a close game against Finland. Czech Republic earned the bronze after defeating Switzerland by 4–3.
IBF Falun is a professional floorball club based in Falun, Sweden. Both the men's and women's teams play in the Svenska Superligan (SSL). The men's team won their first SSL gold in 2013 and proceeded to win in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2022 as well. During these successful years, IBF Falun men's team also won three straight Champions Cup golds.
Tatran Střešovice is a floorball club based in Prague, Czech Republic. The team was founded in 1991.
1. SC Vítkovice is a floorball team based in the Vítkovice district of Ostrava, Czech Republic. The team was founded in 1992.
The 2022 Men's World Floorball Championships was the 14th World Championships in men's floorball. The tournament was played in Zürich and Winterthur, Switzerland, and took place during 5–13 November, 2022.
The 2023 Men's U-19 World Floorball Championships was the 12th edition of the championship. The tournament was played in Frederikshavn, Denmark, and took place from 26 to 30 April. Czech Republic were the two-time defending champions, but were beaten by Switzerland in the semifinals. Sweden won their sixth title after triumphing over the Swiss in the final.