IOC President Thomas Bach opened the Smart Cities and Sport Summit 2021 with a corona version of the Olympic motto; Higher – stronger – together. In recent days, the cities of the sport have been discussing and networking in Copenhagen to set the bar higher together and come up with stronger set-ups.

With its clean harbour, many bicycle lanes and recreative spaces, Copenhagen has been a logic backdrop for this year’s Smart Cities and Sport Summit, where the focus has been on creating active, inclusive, and liveable cities.   

“The Olympic movement and Copenhagen share many values, such as focus on a healthy lifestyle, climate, and sustainability. And I think I can speak for all of us when I say it is great to be back in Wonderful Copenhagen,” said Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, in his speech at the conference.

For the local hosts; The City of Copenhagen, Sports Confederation of Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen and Sport Event Denmark, the Smart Cities and Sport Summit was a perfect platform to share Copenhagen’s many sustainable solutions but also a chance learn from the world and consider what event can push Copenhagen towards a more sustainable, active and liveable future.

“In the NOC and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) we aim to make Denmark the world’s most sports-active nation, and here we are not just looking at members of the sports associations. We also look at, for example, the self-organized in various sports communities and at the citizens who are active during transport. We hope that this conference has inspired other big cities to secure more active citizens and shown Denmark as a sporting pioneer country,” says Hans Natorp, chairman of DIF.

In 2009, Rio was awarded the Olympic Games in Copenhagen, and since then, the city has hosted several other international meetings, seminars, and conferences. Every time the Copenhagen hosts conferences and sporting events, it is an obvious opportunity to show the international guests how Denmark interprets the role of hosting.

“In Denmark, we are first and foremost good at collaborating. Host cities, federations, and Sport Event Denmark have for the past almost 15 years invited the World of Sport for major, international championships, and conferences. For many of the participants at this conference, it was a revisit in Copenhagen, and it is wonderful to experience their acknowledgement of Denmark as a host,” says Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

Press Release – 20 November 2021

Today, the Handball Federations of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden jointly won the rights to host the EHF Men’s Euro in 2026 and the Women’s Euro 2028. All three countries have previously hosted editions of both the men’s and women’s EHF Euro, however this is the first time the three have joint forces.

In Vienna, Austria, united as ‘Scandinavia Connect’, the three countries presented the EHF Congress with their plans for delivering two Championships that will have innovation at their core, capitalising on the modern-day opportunities presented to the sport due to advances in technology. The Scandinavia Connect promise is to use the Championships to connect European Handball to a stronger future.

The presidents of the three Scandinavian Handball Federations are excited and eager to get started on the project.

Morten Stig Christensen, President of the Danish Handball Federation said:

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our three countries and for European Handball. We will bring an innovative mindset to every aspect of the organisation for both 2026 and 2028. These events will have a long long-lasting positive impact on handball – in our countries and across Europe.”

Kåre Geir Lio, President of the Norwegian Handball Federation, added:

“These events will be the catalyst for connecting all European member associations, big and small, to new ways of exchanging with one another and to new ways of reaching a broader audience across all with the aim of building a stronger future for our sport. We are very excited.”

And Frederik Rapp, President Swedish Handball Federation, concluded:

“The EHF Euro 2026 and 2028 will provide the platform to showcase real-life solutions to hosting more sustainable events which is crucial moving forward. We thank EHF for their trust in us and look forward to bringing our plans to reality.”

The Danish national sporting event organisation, Sport Event Denmark, has for many years been involved in bids for major, international sporting events and has also been involved in the bids for the EHF Men’s Euro in 2026 and the Women’s Euro 2028.

Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark says:

“Major, international sporting events such as the EHF Men’s Euro in 2026 and the Women’s Euro 2028 form a display window. By connecting to new ways of reaching untapped audiences and new ways of hosting more sustainable events, I believe Scandinavia will ultimately connect European Handball to a stronger future.”

For more information visit:

Men’s: https://bids.eurohandball.com/men-den-nor-swe-26-28.html

Women’s: https://bids.eurohandball.com/women-den-nor-swe-26-28.html

Ridehuset, Værket Randers/Denmark August 4th -7th 2022
Denmark hosts the European Championships in one of the billiards sport’s finest disciplines 5-Pins. The Danish Billiards Federation (DDBU), the city of Randers and Sport Event Denmark (SED) look forward to welcoming Europe’s best players, who are also among the world’s best.
“European Championship in 5-Pins Billiards in Randers will be a great experience, both organizationally and in terms of play! DDBU looks forward to, once again, together with the
municipality of Randers and Sport Event Denmark, dazzling up world-class billiards in Denmark.
Randers and Værket have been chosen as venue due to the great success of the World Championships in 3-Cushion Billiards in November 2019 with more than 50 hours of live
broadcasting on TV-2 Sport”, says Torsten Danielsson, President of The Danish Billiard Federation (DDBU).

This is the first time DDBU hosts a European Championship in 5-Pins Billiards Individually, which is a special great honor, as Denmark has some of Europe’s and the world’s best players in this special equilibristic discipline, which is played in most of Europe and South- and Central America. Italy alone counts several million players! After football, 5-Pins is Italy’s second largest sport.
Denmark hosted the European 5-Pins Championship for national teams in Odense in 2009.
“The European Championships in 5-Pins Billiards takes place in an exceptionally beautiful setting.
The choice of venue fell on “Ridehuset” at “Værket” in Randers. A building from 1887 originally used for the dragon barracks of King Christian X. The place is today used for large concerts and
cultural events.
The idea is to create a significant special atmosphere where sport, history and cultural life meet each other. Built in the childhood of billiards, “Ridehuset” is certainly a good platform to create that atmosphere.
“It is absolutely fantastic that Randers will host another international billiards championship. It is therefore also the idea to organize a number of side events that can help promote the European Championships”, says Event Manager Mette Bertelsen from Randers Event Secretariat.
The special thing about 5-Pins is that the discipline is also called the Skomar-sport’s international discipline because of the many similarities between the 2 disciplines. Skomar is played in Denmark regularly by estimated more than 100,000 people – and most people have at some point played a
game of Skomar!
There will be free access to both the European Championships and the side events for everyone.
Come and enjoy great world-class billiards from August 4th to August 7th 2022.

Like DDBU and Randers, the CEO of Sport Event Denmark Lars Lundov, is pleased that Denmark will host the European Championships in 5-Pins Billiards:
“At Sport Event Denmark, we work hard to attract large international sports events to give Danish athletes and fans home base. Last week, the Danish badminton players had their home base in Aarhus at the World Cup for teams, just as footballers, sailors, canoeists and kayakers have
competed on home soil over the summer. We are therefore pleased that the European Championships in 5-Pins will be held in Randers in 2022. Randers is a world-class home turf!
We saw that at the 2019 World Championships in 3-Cushion Carom billiards.”

Facts about the European Championships in 5-Pins Billiards 2022
The European Championship will be played in Randers, and the tournament will take place in the days August 4th – 7th 2022. Denmark will be represented by 4 players chosen via the national ranking and 1 extra wildcard.
Over the years, Denmark has achieved several great results at European Championships in 5 -Pins:
EM Bronze Individual 2006 Mirabella (It): Jan Mortensen
Team European Championship silver 2010 Odense (Dk)
Team Euro silver 2017 Brandenburg (De)
Team European Bronze 2013 Brandenburg (De)
Team European Bronze 2014 Parabiago (It)
World Championship Gold Individual Biathlon 1991 Thiene ( It) (Combination 3-Cushion/5-Pins) Erling Sjørup
The expectations for the European Championships are high. DDBU expects to capture at least 1 medal and
that all Danes are situated among the top-24 of all players. And who knows? Maybe a big surprise awaits!

PRESS RELEASE

Last week, the World Championships hosts warmed up for next summer’s World Orienteering Championships 2022 in Denmark with an impressively sizeable elite from most of Europe competing for the European ranking points.

The autumn holidays offered World Championships warm-ups for both orienteering runners and the organizers of next year’s World Championships in orienteering. Next year’s Danish local organizing committee staged a sprint race on Saturday and a Knock-Out sprint on Sunday with great international support with glorious autumn sun and colors.

Almost 200 runners competed in the elite classes – the vast majority of them with foreign passports, who, in addition to the weekend’s competitions, also participated in the recent WOC training around southern Denmark.

Dorthe Bloch Rosenvinge, Event Director – Office, Marketing and Communication, WOC 2022, says:

– The competitions in recent days have given us invaluable experience in the work of arranging the World Championships in the Triangle Region next summer. We are proud that so many international top runners made their way to Denmark and gave both training and competitions a boost. This gives us the best conditions to be able to create the optimal world championships next year in collaboration with the municipalities of Vejle, Kolding, and Fredericia, as well as Sport Event Denmark.

Maps and courses are the cornerstones of every orienteering race, and that is precisely why it is extra essential for the participants to prepare as well as possible in Denmark.

Simona Aebersold, Swiss national team runner with 11 medals at international championships, says:

– It was a very nice training camp and to end it with two nice competitions is great. The terrain here is different from what we are used to in Switzerland. It has more edges and walls, so you must be confident and read the map carefully. I especially look forward to the individual sprint distance at the World Championships in Denmark.

Thierry Gueorgiou, national coach of the Finnish national team and 14-time world champion runner (for France), adds:

– It has been very high standard with good courses in challenging cities, so I think we will have some very interesting World Championships next year, and we will need to be well prepared.

The Triangle Region and Sport Event Denmark are partners behind the event next year. Here, too, there are high expectations for next year.

-It is a dream scenario to be allowed to test your event set-up. The organizers of the World Championships in orienteering gained valuable experiences. Equally important; the participants go home with good experiences. We saw it a month ago, when Haderslev tested their XCM set up for the UCI MTB World Championships, says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark, that partners most of the major, international sporting events in the coming years in Denmark.

When smashing rallies are won this past week at the Victor Denmark Open in badminton in Odense, and when the Tour de France peloton hits the bridge to Fyn next summer, substantial tourism revenue follows. Fyn is increasingly attracting business tourism based on the position and reputation gained through sporting events for instance as an UCI Bike Region

For years, Fyn has increasingly ensured long-term effects of the hosting of major international sporting events. And it is a trend that is growing and is an essential part of Destination Fyn’s strategy.

Right after the Victor Denmark Open, more than a hundred international cycling experts, enthusiasts and decisionmakers will participate in the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Mobility & Bike City Forum in Odense. A conference highlighting the importance of wider legacy and impact planning. Furthermore, it is a network opportunity that facilitates inspiration between various regions that  are hosting cycling events.

In March, it is the European Cycling Union, UEC, who will host their annual congress on Fyn. Furthermore, the Play the Game conference will take place on Fyn next summer with the participation of around 450 journalists, researchers, and representatives from various sports organizations.

– All these hosts, who invite conference guests to Fyn and ensure important business tourism to the island, have in one way or another received a helping hand for a soft landing on Fyn by our work with attracting the major sporting events, says Jakob Staun, head of events at Destination Fyn.

Fyn’s reputation as a cycling destination, paved the way for various events within cycling such as the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. The events are thus display windows for the opportunities in Denmark and promote Fyn and Denmark as sporting event destinations. Fyn has become an obvious destination for hosting conferences and sporting events.

UCI quote:

– Fyn and Denmark display a real passion for cycling. We are impressed to see not only how cycling events have been hosted on the island of Fyn – such as the spectacular UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in 2019 which I attended in Bogense – but also how initiatives and infrastructures that inspire cycling for all are delivered as part of a strong strategic commitment. For this reason, the “Bike Island Fyn” received the UCI Bike Region label in 2017 and became the host of this year’s UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum. I am delighted that the other UCI Bike Cities and Regions, together with representatives of multiple National Federations, will also have the chance to discover Fyn on this occasion, says UCI President David Lappartient, who opens the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum together with mayor of Odense Peter Rahbæk Juel and president of Danish Cycling Federation Henrik Jess Jensen on Tuesday

Play the Game quote:

– It has been an important part of our decision to place the conference in Odense, that our participants will get the opportunity to experience two different types of major sports events on Funen if they extend their stay a little. DGI’s Sport & Culture Festival 2022 is a very unique Danish sports tradition that we believe will appeal to many of our visitors from abroad. The second stage of the Tour de France Grand Depart will provide our participants with an insight into how an international mega event is transformed into a Danish context, says Stanis Elsborg, head of conference at Play the Game.

Sport Event Denmark quote:

-Fyn has positioned itself as a strong cycling and sporting event destination. With the events, business tourism has followed. The hosting of conferences and networking with many different businesses and industries is a clear testimony, says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.

World Championships for teams, Thomas & Uber Cup, was for the first time played in Europe, as Denmark hosted the event. World Championships for teams men and women is the most prestigious of all, and all the big stars were gathered under one roof.

It was quiet the redemption that Thomas & Uber Cup finally was played this week in Aarhus, after it had been postponed three times due to Covid-19. It was just as redeeming that the event ran smoothly, and that everyone from players, officials, spectators, volunteers, and partners only had nice things to say to the organizers.

“It has been wonderful to experience the TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals in Aarhus, Denmark. The event brings with it so much prestige and joy. We have seen Aarhus provide the setting for the world’s best teams to produce enthralling action throughout the nine-day long competition,” says Thomas Lund, secretary general, Badminton World Federation and adds:

“There have been many, many great moments from the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals, but a highlight for me is the returning audience in Aarhus. The atmosphere in the arena that the spectators have brought to welcome the players onto court, particularly the Danish team but also the other participants, have been heartfelt and something we haven’t seen in a very long time.”

The Danish organizers also reflect on the staging of the event.

“It was really a pity that we didn’t get to the Thomas Cup final. Even though we are disappointed, both our women’s and men’s team delivered great performances and reached their goals. That being said, we created a beautiful setting with many spectators and an intense atmosphere. In terms of the staging, we went into the third set due to the postponements last year. It is therefore with great joy that we in cooperation with Aarhus Municipality and Sport Event Denmark finally were able to stage Thomas & Uber Cup Finals. My permanent staff and the many volunteers have provided a huge effort and been an invaluable foundation in creating this historic event” says Bo Jensen, director in Badminton Denmark.

Just as the director of the federation, the director of Sport Event Denmark is extremely satisfied with the staging of the World Championships for teams:

“The staging of Thomas & Uber Cup was a big redemption. After the many postponements, it was fantastic to witness world class badminton on home soil. The atmosphere has been outstanding, and huge, huge praise to both Badminton Denmark and Aarhus for their persistence and beautiful setup. As Denmark hosted the individual World Championships in 2014, the bar was set high, and this week it was raised even further. It looks very promising for 2023, when Denmark once again will be home soil for the individual World Championships”, says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark

Results

Uber Cup:

China beats Japan in the final
Denmark lost in the quarterfinal to Korea

Thomas Cup

Indonesia beats China in the final

The Danes lost in the semifinal to Indonesia

Facts:

TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2020 was played in Ceres Park & Arena, Aarhus, 9^th-17^th of October 2021. Denmark is the first country in Europe to host TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup

TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup 2020 was originally scheduled to be played in May 2020, but due to Covid-19, the Championships were first postponed to August, later October, before the final postponement to 2021

Number of volunteers: 500

Denmark has hosted the individual World Championships in 2014, 1999, 1991, and 1983, and Sudirman Cup, World Championships for mixed teams in 1991 and 1999.

The Danish Thomas Cup national team was the first European nation ever to win Thomas Cup in 2016. The men’s team won bronze at the last World Championships for teams in Thailand 2018.

The Danish Uber Cup national team has never won the World Championships, but has been runner ups in 1957, 1960 and 2000.

Sponsors and partners

Together with TotalEnergies BWF Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2020 sponsors, TotalEnergies (title sponsor), HSBC, Yonex, Moutai, GoDaddy, 188BET, Danisa, Mille Food, and the partners BWF, Aarhus Municipality, Sport Event Denmark, Salling Fonds and ViaBiler

Denmark ready for the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships

The forests around Haderslev dressed up in the many colors of the rainbow this weekend, as the City of Haderslev together with the Danish Cycling Federation, DCU, staged the Haderslev MTB Challenge including the Danish MTB marathon Championships. Along with the event, the organizers tested the set-up for 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships.

Next year, the world’s best mountain bike riders will ride for the rainbow jersey on the same course as the Haderslev Challenge. The organizers focused both on this year’s event and on the Worlds next year.

“The Danish Championships went really well, and our riders got the opportunity to test the course of the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships next year. Together with Haderslev, the Triangle Region, and Sport Event Denmark, we are now well prepared for the planning of next year’s event, ”says Henrik Jess Jensen, president of the Danish Cycling Federation.

The Danish goal is to showcase the championships as both a spectacular elite event and a cycling festival for the mass participants. Today’s event fully displayed the potential of the combination. For the first time ever, elite and recreational participants will ride the course of the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships. The Danish strategy is to create more than just a race. However, this definitely does not mean compromises on the quality of the championships. The championships is the core of the event. Maintaining focus on the quality of the championship race is critical to the success. And these aspects were tested this weekend.

Both the elite women and men encountered a course with great variation that was challenging both technically and physically. The lap format offered both spectators and viewers alike an incredible experience. The recreational participants got an epic experience too.

The partners behind the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships took part in the Haderslev MTB challenge, and are now looking forward to next year’s challenges on the same course.

QUOTES
Haderslev
“It has been a pleasure to experience Denmark’s best MTB riders in Haderslev. There has been a great atmosphere and we are looking forward to up scaling next year when we host the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships. It is great to feel the support for the event from both citizens and riders, but especially also from the volunteers who have made and are making a huge effort to make this a success, ” says H. P. Geil, mayor of Haderslev Municipality.

Sport Event Denmark
“There are lots of good pictures and colorful statements from the riders, which we can use for next year’s promotion of the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships. It is not the first time, that riders are racing for the rainbow jersey in Denmark. Every time there is a cycling World Championship in Denmark, is contributes to the storytelling of Denmark as a cycling nation and destination, ”says Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

The Triangle Region
”The first edition of Haderslev MTB Challenge shows what Haderslev is able to create when the municipality, volunteers and other dedicated partners collaborate. With the successful testing of the set-up, we now begin the final the countdown for the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships. There is no doubt that the rainbow jersey in Haderslev in 2022 marks a milestone in the Triangle Regions efforts to attract international sporting events,” says from Thomas Kastrup, Sport Event Manager, Triangle Region.

While the top teams in the world are competing for the Paralympic crown at Tokyo 2020, Covid-19 has left the stands completely devoid. In October 2022, however, fans will be able to experience wheelchair rugby’s best in Vejle, Denmark.

Wheelchair rugby is more popular than ever in Denmark, with the national team competing at it’s first every Paralympic Games after successfully qualifying for Tokyo 2020 at the 2019 European Championship in Vejle. That event saw Spektrum arena in Vejle packed to the brim, and the many fans set the perfect stage for an unforgettable tournament that saw Great Britain come out on top.
Next year, Vejle aims to kick things further up a notch for the 2022 World Championship. Once again, the goal is to fill Spektrum and create the atmosphere that is so sorely missed at these Paralympic Games. Fan capacity has been expanded due to high ticket demand experienced in 2019, and the first tickets are available now.

Event director Torben Nygaard is pleased to be able to launch the ticket sales as well as the event website.
– We are really looking forward to hosting the World Championship next year and creating a safe and fun fan experience is a high priority for the organizing team. For the teams competing, there is no better feeling than playing in front of happy fans, and we hope to once again see many Danes as well as travelling supporters in Spektrum, said Torben Nygaard.
President Richard Allcroft of the newly rebranded World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) said:
– I was so pleased to see that Denmark were interested in hosting the 2022 World Championship. In particular, that we were returning to the city of Vejle. The Danish people and the city welcomed us in 2019 for the European Championship and I remember the spectators enjoying our sport and making plenty of noise. We are now World Wheelchair Rugby and our new brand has been received well. We feel this reflects our sport in a more positive and vibrant way. The focus may well be on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, but if you want more wheelchair rugby then join us in Denmark in October 2020. My thanks to the organising committee for the huge amount of work and commitment they have put into the event. Especially, through the challenging year that we had in 2020. Of course, we are still working through the challenges of a pandemic and we have every confidence that the 2022 World Championship will take place in a safe environment.
The 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship will take place in Vejle on October 10-16, 2022.

Ticket information
Tickets can be purchased on the World Championship homepage: https://2022wrwc.com/tickets/

Silver Ticket
Monday 10 through Thursday 13, October 2022, there will be a morning session with free entry and an afternoon/evening session with two or three games in Spektrum with paid admission. A Silver Ticket, which includes entry to all four evening sessions, can be purchased online now for 125 or 200 DKK a piece demanding on choice of seat.
Golden Ticket
Friday 14 through Sunday 16, October 2022, is the knock-out tournament. A Golden Ticket will allow entry to all the games. Tickets can be purchased online now for 125 or 200 DKK a piece demanding on choice of seat.
Wheelchair users and others needing personal attendance can buy a ticket and bring a personal attendant for free. These tickets can also be purchased online now.
At a later time single day tickets will be available for purchase. More information about the Fans and Family Program will also be announced later on the website.

About the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship
Denmark will host the 2022 Wheelchair Rugby World Championship in DGI Huset, Vejle. Parasport Danmark (NPC Denmark) and World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) will organize the event with the Municipality of Vejle and Sport Event Denmark. The event is supported by Parasport Danmarks main sponsors JYSK, Pressalit and Elsass Fonden, as well as Musholm, main sponsor of wheelchair rugby in Denmark.
Homepage: https://2022wrwc.com/

PRESS RELEASE
With a focus on how to create more active and liveable cities, The World Union of Olympic Cities has chosen Copenhagen for its summit this November.

Swim in the clean harbour, ski down an urban mountain build on top of a clean waste to energy plant and the join the many cyclists in the world’s most bike-friendly city. Copenhagen offers smart solutions and is a playground for the active and a frontrunner when it comes to creating greener, more liveable and active cities. These are just some of the reasons for Smart Cities & Sport choosing the Danish Capital for their annual summit taking place November 22nd to 24th.

Usually, Smart Cities and Sport Summit is only hosted in an Olympic host city or the Olympic headquarter. The World Union of Olympic Cities has however, made an exception based on Copenhagen having hosted the 2009 IOC congress.

”As the National Olympic Committee of Denmark, we at DIF are very proud that Copenhagen will be the host city for Smart Cities & Sport. Copenhagen is a prime example of how to create urban environments that promote movement in everyday life. At the same time, the congress is a great start to the cooperation between the city of Copenhagen, DGI and DIF, which aims to make the capital the world’s most active city,” says Hans Natorp, chairman of DIF, NOC and Sports Confederation of Denmark.

Copenhagen is currently busy hosting the UEFA EURO2020, while also preparing to welcome the combined WorldPride and EuroGames later this summer and the Tour de France – Grand Départ next year.

“The election of Copenhagen as host city of Smart Cities & Sport is an important recognition. It emphasizes that internationally our city is considered to be both attractive and safe. The fact that we are able to do sports and exercise in the city is a big part of Copenhagen’s DNA. We can ride our bikes in the streets, swim in the harbors and do sports in the green spaces – and with the big variety of sport associations in Copenhagen we have a strong sense of connectedness around sport that unites us across social divisions. This contributes to making Copenhagen one of the best cities to live in,” says Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Lars Weiss.

Sport Event Denmark also welcomes the Smart Cities & Sport Summit.
“Yet one more of the leading international sports congresses is now coming to Denmark and Copenhagen after SportAccord in 2017, and the IOC Session & Olympic Congress in 2009. We are very pleased, and we look forward to being a co-organizer again and to welcoming the World of Sports back,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.

As part of the EURO2020, Copenhagen has a strong focus on incorporating sustainability. This is a natural move, as sustainability is part of Denmark’s DNA.
Denmark will push the boundaries of how to stage events in a sustainable and responsible way, and hope to add new dimensions to the community around the sport that we all love so much. Smart Cities & Sport will thus be a great platform to join, discuss, and share ideas.

PRESS RELEASE

The Handball Federations of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are proud to announce that for the first time ever they are jointly bidding for the rights to host the EHF EURO (both Men’s and Women’s) in either 2026 or 2028. Under the name ‘Scandinavia Connect’, the three countries aim to host an EHF Euro that will have innovation at its core to capitalise on the modern-day opportunities presented to the sport due to advances in technology.

Scandinavia will connect European Handball and all its members to new ways of exchanging best practices, new ways of reaching untapped audiences and new ways of hosting more sustainable events. Ultimately, Scandinavia will connect European Handball to a stronger future.

All three countries bring impressive event hosting experience to the table, and a great passion for Handball. The joint bid provides the EHF with the possibility to host their flagship event in one of the most connected regions in the world; it is easy to get to and get around in, which will benefit the organisation of the event and both teams and fans alike.

The presidents of the three Scandinavian Handball Federations are excited and fully committed to this joint bid.

Per Bertelsen, President of the Danish Handball Federation said:

“Now is the right time for Scandinavia to join forces. We believe we can build on the positive momentum we see in our sport. Together, we can deliver a world-class event that will be a true celebration for European Handball, while also providing valuable solutions that will make all of European Handball stronger for the future.”

Kåre Geir Lio, President of the Norwegian Handball Federation, added:

“Handball is strong across Europe, but we can always be stronger. European Handball members, both big and small, should be more connected to share experiences. And while we are already seeing a surge in social media, the opportunity to find new ways to connect to untapped audiences across the continent can’t be ignored. Scandinavia connect is really just about building a stronger future for our sport.”

And Frederik Rapp, President Swedish Handball Federation, concluded:

“The commitment to finding sustainable solutions across all industries and areas of life is very clear in all of Scandinavia. To connect the Scandinavian approach and experience in sustainability with European Handball is so valuable. Finding more sustainable solutions for future events could be a real game-changer for the future of our sport.”