Press release

For the first time ever, Denmark hosted the World Championship Petanque this week. The championship will be remembered for the host country’s sporting results and for a world class set-up.

Never before has Denmark hosted a World Championship Petanque. Despite the fact, that the sport in Denmark is minor, the staging of the event scored the highest possible. The Danish Petanque Association hosted the World Championships in Single, Double and Mixed Double 2022.

Never before has a Danish male senior player won a world championship medal, so the intense atmosphere on the stands increased as Anders Erlandsen and Katrine Junge Olsen took a win against Cambodia and advanced to the semifinals, where they lost to Spain.
The feedback from players and spectators was that Denmark delivered a world class set-up providing the best conditions for the 48 nations competing.

“I am so proud! Proud of all the Danish results and the bronze medal. Proud of and not least grateful for the efforts of the volunteers. Without them, we would not have been able to stage the event. Together with Greve Municipality and Sport Event Denmark, we can now look back on a championship where we promoted the sport within Denmark and Denmark within the international world of petanque,” says the president of the Danish Petanque Association, Lars Friis.

“The World Championship in petanque is a good example of world class staging, great sporting results, and happy spectators. There was an electric atmosphere among the audience every day, especially when the Danes played for the semifinals,” says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark. The organisation partners the championship together with Greve Municipality.

Before the World Cup, France had proclaimed they were going for medals in all five disciplines. But France had to see itself out of the event in all five disciplines even before the semifinals. However, the results did not affect the atmosphere of the audience, a large part of whom had come from France to cheer.

The Danish Petanque Association stage the championship in collaboration with Greve Municipality, Sport Event Denmark, and Karlslunde Sports Club.

From 29 May – to 8 June 2023, Aarhus will be the first Danish city ever to host The Ocean Race – the world’s longest and toughest ocean race.

Preparations are in full swing with developing a comprehensive program that focuses on the sustainable solutions of the future, the problems of polluted oceans, and an ambitious learning program for primary and secondary schools. In addition, the expected 400,000 guests can look forward to a public festival in the area around the harbor of Aarhus, with a lot of fun and educational free activities for the entire family, and world-class sailing.

Last week, a large delegation from The Ocean Race’s international headquarters in Alicante visited the Danish organizing committee meeting among others The International Sailing Center, the rethought recycling station ReUse, and Worldperfect, which is sustainability operator at The Ocean Race Stopover Aarhus 2023.

A thrilled delegation from The Ocean Race:
“We are very impressed with the conditions in Aarhus and the city’s great history as a host of previous sailing events. The large harbor area is created to form a framework for world-class events, and the local support and anchoring are strong. We are convinced that this combination is a sure winner. We have high expectations for the first Danish Stopover in The Ocean Race’s iconic, 50-year history,” says Johnny Donnelly, Head of Events at The Ocean Race.

The words bring joy to the Danish organizing group:
“The Ocean Race Stopover Aarhus will be a mega event – the biggest in Aarhus in 2023. We are proud to confirm that Aarhus, as a sailing and event city, can do something exceptional, and that the expectations are high. The support from the sailing community, the great sense of community among the city’s many volunteers, and a fantastic harbor area are crucial. Together with Sailing Aarhus, Sport Event Denmark, and Trifork we will create a unique and inspiring experience for both participants, visiting guests, and the city’s citizens,” says Charlotte Kirk Elkjær, Stopover Director for The Ocean Race Aarhus 2023.

A long list of events
In recent decades, Aarhus has distinguished itself by hosting many international sailing events. In addition, the city can look back on the successful hosting of the World Championships for all Olympic boat classes in 2018, a so-called Fly-by during the latest edition of The Ocean Race in 2018, and the SailGP in 2021.

Before Aarhus docks at The Ocean Race in 2023, the city can look forward to hosting the European Championships in three Olympic boat classes. These championships will take place in July 2022.

In connection with the many significant international sailing events, Aarhus has worked closely with Sport Event Denmark, which is the national sporting event organisation that in close cooperation with host cities bids for and hosts major, international sporting events.

The Ocean Race’s delegation in Aarhus consisted of:
Johan Strid (Director, The Ocean Race Summits)
Johnny Donnelly (Head of Events)
Anna Goyne (Head of Host City & Logistics)
Meegan Jones (Sustainability Program Advisor)
Lucy Hunt (Summits & Learning Advisor)
Genevieve Bow (Summit Events & Commercial Partnerships)
Richardo Zampetti (Broadcast Multimedia Manager)
Patricia Sala (Public Affairs Manager)

Facts about The Ocean Race:
Since 1973, top athletes have sailed around the world in the race formerly known as the Whitbread Round the World Race and the Volvo Ocean Race.
Aarhus is the first Danish Stopover City in the history of the race.
Sailing Aarhus and Aarhus International Sailing Center are key partners in the project.
Among the public partners are Aarhus Municipality, Sport Event Denmark, and the Central Jutland Region.
The Aarhus-based IT company Trifork is the official Stopover Presenting Partner.
The Salling Foundations support the event.

PRESS RELEASE

The Nordic countries bid for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with a strong vision of involving and developing women’s football. Nordic values and sustainable development are the core power of the joint bid.

The Nordic football associations have worked closely together for four years to make a joint bid for a major championship. Now Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have announced their preliminary bid for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with support from the Faroe Islands and Iceland.

“Football is a powerful opportunity to make a change. Together with our Nordic allies we want to show the world through football we have a chance to enhance ethic, transparency and bright and diverse future of the sports”, says president of the Finnish Football Association, Ari Lahti.

In Denmark, they draw on experiences from EURO2020, where four matches were very successfully staged in Copenhagen.

In the last few years, the Nordic Football Associations have researched for stadiums, host cities, base camps, and other facilities to form the complete picture of how to develop the best possible host for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. This work will continue until October 2022 when a final bid should be submitted.

In December 2022, UEFA’s executive committee will announce the host of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025. If awarded to the Nordic team, it will be a spectacular final at Friends Arena in Stockholm – the largest stadium in the Nordic region with room for 50,000 spectators.

Additional quotes:

Sweden

President, Karl-Erik Nilsson:

“All Nordic football associations agrees about the importance of organizing major championships in our countries, and together we have great ambitions for the development of women’s football. We know that a UEFA Women’s Euro in the Nordic countries will strengthen the women’s football, and become an unforgettable experience for both players and supporters.”

Denmark

President, Jesper Møller

“The Nordic bid for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 is much more than a championship – it is a team work to ensure the continued development of women’s football for  more diversity across our common, Nordic visions and values. With EURO 2020 in fresh memory, where Denmark showed its event potential, we will reuse and refine all the good experiences. With a joint Nordic bid, we will display not just Denmark but the entire Nordic approach to women’s football and innovative event management”

Norway

President, Lise Klaveness

«UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Norway and the Nordic countries will be a celebration of inclusion, tolerance, and community for all football fans at the stadiums and events in the hosting cities. The spectacle of the finals will be an integrated part of our strategy to strengthen the position of women and girls on and off the pitch in Norwegian football. Great progress has been made in Norway and internationally in recent years developing the women’s game where we are proud to be a pioneer. A Nordic UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament will be a powerful showcase for even greater impact and legacy.”

When the World Orienteering Championships kick off in Denmark in the end of June, most of the around 350 expected participants will travel and stay with their national team. But for 15 runners, coming from younger orienteering nations, that is not an option. Therefore, they take part in the International Orienteering Federation WOC Clinic arranged alongside the championships.

During the WOC-week, a large scout cabin in one of the host cities, Vejle, accommodates the runners and they are offered a program of lectures, practicing orienteering skills and participation in the WOC-competitions. For most of the runners, it is their first World Orienteering Championships; accordingly, the focus will be as much on the racing as the lectures on orienteering development and technique.
The WOC Clinic is arranged for the 11th time as an initiative from the IOF. Last year 10 athletes took part in the WOC Clinic in Czech Republic and one of the participants, Eef van Dongen of the Netherlands, managed to qualify for the sprint final, where she impressively finished as number 16.

This year, the WOC Clinic welcomes 15 athletes from 9 different countries on 3 continents. The participants are from Argentina, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Moldova, Netherlands, Northern Macedonia, and Serbia.

Volunteers from the five organizing clubs OK SNAB, OK GORM, OK FROS, OK Melfar and Kolding OK look forward to welcoming the clinic’s participants to Vejle and hosting them during the championships.
IOF Secretary General Sondre Gullord says: “We’re happy to invite runners once again from all over the world to join the clinic in cooperation with the WOC organizers and our partners: The Triangle Region and Sport Event Denmark. We hope they will gain lots of orienteering experience and that the clinics on the long run help to promote the global growth of orienteering and develop the sport around the world. Of course, I wish the runners best of luck in the WOC competitions and look forward to following their races in Denmark.”
The CEO of Sport Event Denmark, Lars Lundov, adds: “We are happy that IOF is organizing the clinic and even more happy to welcome participants from other parts of the world. I dare say, that hosting major, international sporting events is a brilliant way of displaying the Danish approach to hosting and organizing.”

Sport Event Denmark is the national sporting event organization that bids for and stage sporting events in collaboration with federations and host cities.

The World Orienteering Championships in Denmark will be the first ever sprint only WOC, with three competitions on June 26, 28 and 30 in Kolding, Fredericia and Vejle respectively. Sprint competitions are often held in urban areas as opposed to the longer distances that take place in forest areas.

The WOC was originally planned to be held in the summer of 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides the 350 participants from around 50 different nations, up to 1500 runners are expected to join the public races arranged during the WOC week.

PRESS RELEASE

6 stages through 3 countries – with the whole world´s elite

From the King’s Nytorv in Copenhagen via the beautiful west coast of Sweden to Norwegian mountains and flatland to the finish in Halden. Nearly 1.000 kilometres, 6 stages in 6 days, the whole world´s elite riding, TV-coverage worldwide, and national professional teams. Tour of Scandinavia (Battle of the North) is the big news for cycling fans in Scandinavia. The new World Tour-race staged from 9th through the 14th of August.

Finally, the time has come for the by far biggest cycling race for women in Scandinavia. All the best in the world are expected to be on the starting line in the heart of Copenhagen for the first edition on August the 9th. This is the first ever World Tour-race for ladies in Denmark and the interest is great in the country that has produced some of the world´s best female riders. The race is tightening the bands between the three countries.
Women’s cycling is expanding; world-class riders like Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, FDJ, Emma Norsgaard Bjerg, Movistar, and the former world champion Amalie Dideriksen, Trek-Segafredo, are just some of the top names that Denmark can offer.

The Danish Cycling Federation, DCU, is looking forward to the big stage race. The president of DCU, Henrik Jess Jensen, says: “The development and level of the Danish female riders today has never been higher. As a nation, we were no. three in 2021 on the women’s world rankings. We who love cycling deserve to see the world elite in Denmark. We have been working on this since 2016. Amalie Dideriksen crowned world champion in 2016, and now the dream has finally come true. The level in women’s cycling has also increased significantly with 15 World Tour teams and some of the season’s most exciting races. I hope that we can inspire even more girls and women to practice cycling in Denmark with this race.”

With strong partnerships and not least support from Sport Event Denmark and Wonderful Copenhagen, a fantastic first stage is thus planned, when the world’s best women riders meet, with a course from the start city Copenhagen to the destination city Helsingør, two historical cities forming the backdrop for the first stage.

The first stage of the race in Denmark is also welcomed by Sport Event Denmark, where Director Lars Lundov says: “Denmark is in the super league talking about cycling events. That is why it is all the more gratifying to add the Tour of Scandinavia to our event calendar. This year alone, Denmark will also stage The Grand Départ of the Tour de France, the recreational race Tour de Storebælt and MTB world marathon.”

Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Sophie Hæstorp Andersen hopes to see the riders off in August: “It makes me very proud that Copenhagen will pave the way for the first stage of the race in Denmark. It will be fantastic in the world’s best cycling city. I am convinced that with our experience from the Tour de France, we can create the best setting for the race. I am also pleased that we can put a much-needed focus on women’s cycling and the many talented riders, who will inspire the spectators to bike themselves,” says Copenhagen’s Lord Mayor Sophie Hæstorp Andersen

Name change
The intention was to launch the new race under the name Battle of The North, but the name has been temporarily changed to Tour of Scandinavia with the subtitle Battle of The North. The reason for this is the war in Ukraine which has changed the world situation since the planning of this race started.

“We have spent several years building the brand “Battle of The North”, and significant resources have been invested in advance of the launch, but we do not want to use a name that can be linked to war as the world now appears. In respect with everyone who suffers as a result of the terrible war in Ukraine, we so far brand the riding concept as “Tour of Scandinavia” and tone down the use of the name Battle of The North,” says general director Roy Moberg, one of the men behind this new race.

In the heart of Copenhagen
The race is built on the experiences and the people from the Ladies Tour of Norway, but it starts from the King’s Nytorv in Copenhagen, Denmark with the first stage crossing back and forth northbound on the island of Zealand to the finish in Helsingør.

This is followed by a longer transport to the beautiful island Orust north of Gothenburg in Sweden. The Swedish stage takes the peloton north to the border city Strömstad. It’s partly following the Swedish west coast, one of the most popular holiday areas in the country. The riders will go through some of the famous holiday resorts at the coast.

The world’s best are coming
Last year the Olympic TT-champion Annemiek van Vleuten from Movistar won the LToN with a final attack on the climb to Norefjell. Earlier editions have been dominated by the Dutch superstar Marianne Vos, Jumbo-Visma who has been the big star on the Norwegian roads.

This year the organizers hope that both Danish, Swedish and Norwegian ladies also will play a part in the Tour of Scandinavia.

Denmark has several top riders looking forward to the first edition. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig, FDJ, Emma Norsgaard, Movistar and the former world champion Amalie Dideriksen, Trek-Segafredo are only some of the top names from Denmark.

Sweden is hoping that Emilia Fahlin, FDJ is back in top form. The former 4th at the Worlds loves to ride on home soil. Beside this Sweden has some other young, promising riders.

It’s also very exciting with the new Norwegian World Team Uno-X with riders from all the three countries. Together with Team Coop-Hitec Products they attract local interest. And of course there are also several Norwegian professionals in different international teams.

The organizer is also working on having the national teams from Denmark and Norway at the start. In total, the race will have 21 teams with 6 riders in each.

News at the internet
With the launch of Tour of Scandinavia, the organizers are also launching a new homepage for the race.
You will find it here: www.tourofscandinavia.eu.

The social medias are very important for all races today and therefore Tour of Scandinavia is also launching new accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

You will find the Tour of Scandinavia here – Battle of the North:
Home page: www.tourofscandinavia.eu / www.battleofthenorth.eu
Facebook: @battlenor.eu
Twitter: @battlenor
Instagram: @battlenor

PRESS RELEASE

In a hundred days, the world’s greatest bicycle race kicks off the first three stages in Denmark from July 1-3. This was marked throughout the country today with a wide range of events in the five tour-cities.

An epic visit to the Great Belt Bridge, a school visit to Nyborg, the launch of a new Super Bike Path from Roskilde to Copenhagen, and the unveiling of the official Tissot countdown clock at the City Hall Square in Copenhagen. With only 100 days to go the Danes celebrated the milestone event with a visit from General Director of The Tour de France Christian Prudhomme, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Simon Kollerup, and the mayors of the five Danish start- and finish cities participated.

“In 100 days, the Tour de France – the world’s largest cycling race – will start in Denmark and the world’s best cycling city, Copenhagen. Across three amazing stages, we will show our beautiful cycling country to the entire world and make a huge celebration, which will bring everyone together. It does not get better than this, ” says Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen and Chairman of the Board of Grand Départ Copenhagen Denmark.

The 100-day celebration got a beautiful start on the top of the Great Belt Bridge, where Christian Prudhomme, A.S.O and Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs Simon Kollerup visited one of the pylons. Around the same time, Sønderborg decorated the King Christian X’s bridge in yellow to celebrate the 100 days. The festivities continued with a school visit to Nyborg, where the students showed how they incorporated the upcoming Tour de France into their studies. In Roskilde, the city focused on opening a new Super Bike Path and the unveiling of new sewer covers with the Danish Grand Départ logo.

“When the greatest riders in the world race through our beautiful country, the local hotels, restaurants, and cafés will host the many visitors. Tour de France is a once in a lifetime opportunity to show our many strengths and special Danish DNA. Therefore, I’m very pleased that the yellow celebration is also a window of opportunity for Danish businesses,” says Simon Kollerup, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs

In the afternoon, there was a bike ride with the Grand Départ trophy from Vesterbro Torv to the City Hall Square. Here, General director Christian Prudhomme, The Lord Mayor and chairman of the board, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen. They were joined by a group of approx. two hundred everyday cyclists from local cycling clubs, nursing homes, kindergartens, and schools. Immediately after, the official countdown clock was switched on at the City Hall Square followed by a reception at the City Hall with speeches and the opening of an extensive Tour de France exhibition ‘The Tour & The Cycling City’.
“Today we celebrate 100 days to go for the Danish Grand Départ and three spectacular stages across Denmark. It will be amazing, and I cannot wait to show cycling fans from all over world the unique Danish passion for everyday biking. The Grand Départ Copenhague / Danemark 2022 is truly a perfect match for the Tour de France: One of the best cycling nations in the world welcomes the greatest cycling race in the world,” says General Director of Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme

The marking of the 100 days for the Tour Start in Denmark continues tomorrow, Thursday, March 24, in Sønderborg and Vejle. The day begins in Sønderborg, where you are invited to a business meeting in the morning with a focus on the Tour de France and a subsequent press conference. Next, the celebration continues in Vejle, which will mark the 100th day with a fully dressed tour site. There will be visits from a bicycle mascot, and opportunities to experience the tour route in Vejle in a virtual cycling simulator.

PRESS RELEASE

The strong fleet of the best European SUP athletes will be battling for European Championship titles this summer in the North Sea as Denmark will host the 2022 ESF EUROSUP. Representatives from the European Surf Federation has been visiting Hvide Sande, the small fishing town, that will be the center of the event.

Hvide Sande is known for its versatile conditions for watersports and has for years been the base for the popular water sports festival named WATERZ. With Hvide Sande squeezed in between the roaring North Sea on one side and the stunning Ringkøbing fjord on the other side it is the perfect spot for organizing the official European SUP Championship.

It will be the first time ever that the European Championship titles in SUP will be concluded on Danish water. Preparations are well underway, and the European Surfing Federation (ESF), visited Hvide Sande to meet with the Danish organizers and discuss the technical race details.

“A walk in the park,” says Huw John, vice president of the European Surf Federation, adding that he has been on countless site visits during his more than 30 years in the sport. The visit in Denmark confirms to him that there is a substantial local support, great event experience, and not least that all preparations are on track for the event.

Mr. John and the technical director from Portugal, Tiago Matos, together with representatives from the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation (DSRF) and the local organizers from Hvide Sande, has spent the previous days reviewing the wavespots and courses on the North Sea and on Ringkøbing Fjord. In 2017 Tiago Matos took part, when Copenhagen and Cold Hawaii in Thy shared the hosting of the ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship. The organization of event was a global success and essential in the recognition of SUP within Denmark, Europe and worldwide. During the visit to Hvide Sande Mr. Matos’ says: “I know that the Danes can host impressive events, and the Danes can deliver. I saw it in 2017, and I see it today in Hvide Sande. Everything is just in order, and they are already ready. There is a great local support, and the summer is ideal for SUP. I was very impressed by the fjord because google maps do not do its justice. We saw the sea, and my experience tells me that it will be perfect for SUP surfing.”

The Danish organizers are also very satisfied with the visit from the European Surfing Federation.

“Hvide Sande is more than approved! That is my clearly impression after the visit from the ESF and we’re stoked to organize the EUROSUP 2022 in collaboration with the Danish Surfing and Rafting Federation, Ringkøbing Municipality and Sport Event Denmark. It will be the first European Championship in SUP on Danish soil ever and the visit from the ESF gives us confident in our continued preparations,” says Katrine Kock Frandsen, project manager of WATERZ.

Michael Lindberg, who is head of secretary in the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation, says that site visits are crucial for major championships to become a success: “The ESF and ours ambitions and expectations to the EUROSUP 2022 are high, and it’s important to go through all kind of technical aspects and event logistics for staging an event like this. The SUP sport is depending highly on weather conditions, and it is important that we can stand on the beach together and review all our plans. We had an excellent dialogue and exchange of experiences.”

The ESF EUROPSUP 2022 takes place from August 27 to September 4 2022 and is organized by the Danish Surfing & Rafting Federation in collaboration with WATERZ, Sport Event Denmark, and Ringkøbing Municipality.

This weekend, the Danish Petanque Federation staged the international tournament SPORT LIVE Masters. The feedback from players, teams, and organizers was that the Danish set-up was world-class. Players from seven nations participated, with Belgium as the winner.

Denmark will host the World Championship petanque in May. This weekend, the federation tested the set-up at the international tournament SPORT LIVE Masters with the participation of seven nations and with no less than 12 hours of live TV broadcast.

‘It has been a fantastic weekend with a good atmosphere. I’m excited about the enthusiasm and joy of playing that the players have shown this weekend. It has been a super rehearsal, where we have learned a lot, which means that we are extra ready when we have to stage the World Championship in collaboration with Greve Municipality, Sport Event Denmark, and Karlslunde Sports Club, ‘says Lars Friis, president of Danish Petanque Federation.

This weekend’s test-tournament also received nice words from Greve’s mayor, Pernille Beckmann:

‘We are proud of our great petanque venue, and we are very much looking forward to the World Championship being staged here in Greve. Therefore, it has been a great experience to see the talented players in this weekend’s tournament.’

The Danish Petanque Federation is far better prepared for the upcoming World Championship. The handling of everything from TV transmission to spectators, players, volunteers, and event logistics passed the test convincingly.

‘It is a massive advantage for any sport event organizer to have the opportunity to test their set-up before the championship itself. We saw it, for example, in Haderslev in the autumn, where the World Cup in MTB set-up was tested. This weekend’s test of the World Championship in petanque shows, among other things, that there will be plenty of opportunities to get close to the game and the many players, says Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark.

Facts: Seven nations participated in the SPORT LIVE Masters. In addition to two Danish teams, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands participated with one team.

Of high-profile players, Philippe Quintais and Damier Hureau from France participated, and Claudy Weibel and Andre Lozano from Belgium. In total they are the winners of 19 World Championships titles.

Each team played a total of seven rounds consisting of five matches in the categories singles for men, singles for women, doubles for men, doubles for women, and mix-doubles. The tournament was played as a team tournament.

Results:

1. Belgium

2. France

3. Germany

4. Sweden

5. Holland

6. Denmark A

7. Denmark B

8. Norway

The World Championship petanque will be staged in Karlslunde from the 12^th to the 15^th of May, with the participation of aprox. 50 nations.

The Danish Petanque Federation stage the championship in collaboration with Greve Municipality, Sport Event Denmark, and Karlslunde Sports Club.

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