We Want to Use the World Championship to Make Ball Hockey More Popular, Says Martin Komárek

The Czech-Moravian Ball Hockey Association (ČMSHb) has announced that the senior World Ball Hockey Championship will be held on Moravian soil in 2026, specifically in Ostrava. In three years, ball hockey players from all over the world will gather at the Ostravar Arena.

Ostrava Could Bring a Golden Success

Mr. Chairman, ČMSHb previously announced that it would host the World Championship in 2026 in Ostrava. How did the association secure the hosting rights for 2026?

That's a long story. Even before the Covid pandemic, we discussed our bid for the Junior World Championship and expressed interest in hosting the Men's and Women's World Championships during a meeting in Switzerland. The pandemic significantly impacted the scheduling of sports events, pushing back the international calendar. The hosting rights were approved about 14 months ago, and it took a long time to carefully select the venue and its benefits for organizing such a large event, including benefits for ball hockey in the Czech Republic as a whole.

It was mentioned that a final decision had to be made on the hosting venue, with Hradec Králové and Ostrava being the options. Why did Ostrava win?

Originally, six locations were considered for the World Championship. Each aspect was reviewed point by point, including the arena's infrastructure, accommodation capacity, cooperation with the city and region, potential spectator attendance, and several other criteria. In the final comparison, 14 areas of the World Championship's organization were evaluated, with Ostrava and the Vítkovice arena emerging as the winner. I'm glad the championship will be in Ostrava and will become a significant event in Moravia, not just for ball hockey players and Moravian ball hockey clubs.

What will be the goals of the upcoming 2026 World Championship in Ostrava? Certainly, there will be more than one. Are you planning to attract even more fans than in Pardubice in 2017? Do you think Ostrava will draw a large crowd? And what about sporting success?

Ostrava is a very sports-oriented city. Many major sporting events here have been well-attended. The interest and support from the city hall and the region provide an excellent foundation for great cooperation and expectations of high attendance. Through the World Championship, we would like to further popularize ball hockey and aim for the top medals. I believe that the long wait for men's gold could culminate in Ostrava with a golden finish to the entire championship.

Cooperation and communication with everyone involved in organizing the championship are supportive

You’re also considering assistance from the local club in Poruba. What could the World Championship bring to the Moravian region?

We are in close communication with the Sokol Poruba club, including several meetings. We have already met with regional teams, and the atmosphere was exceptionally constructive. The clubs are very interested in the World Championship, not only in terms of participating in youth tournaments but also as volunteers and presenting their clubs during Czech Republic games and broadcasts on Czech Television.

Ostrava is the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, offering excellent infrastructure and facilities at the Ostravar Arena for all athletes. You have probably had the opportunity to see the arena; what are your impressions? Will there be any collaboration with the Vítkovice hockey club?

The arena offers excellent facilities, a high number of locker rooms, ample parking, and many other advantages. In many respects, it surpasses the arena in Pardubice, especially in terms of amenities, which will greatly facilitate the championship's organization. A meeting with representatives from HC Vítkovice has not yet taken place, but we are actively negotiating it. We would like to find common ground and a way to collaborate.

Certainly, there were discussions with the city of Ostrava, the Moravian-Silesian Region, and others. Additionally, financial and other support from Ostrava and the Moravian-Silesian Region was confirmed when you recently signed a memorandum of cooperation. How do you value this partnership?

Discussions with representatives of the city and region have been perfect and very supportive from the start. It is very evident that the city and its institutions not only support sports and culture but strive to help these areas as much as possible. We didn't encounter a single point of disagreement or discord. I would describe the communication as friendly and, above all, constructive.

A large number of men’s and women’s teams are expected to come to Ostrava

It's clear that events held in the Czech Republic are in high demand. Approximately how many teams are expected to participate in this senior World Championship?

We are working with a number of 24 teams, excluding teams that will be involved in the accompanying program, friendly matches, or the development program. We would also like to offer teams the opportunity to play preparatory matches with our U20, U23, or junior girls' teams in the women’s category.

The successful Junior World Championship in Liberec in 2023 was a great event. You will surely want to build on its success and bring some elements from it to Ostrava. Can fans expect that every match will be broadcast, as was the case in Liberec?

I hope that we can apply the experiences of the wide organizing group from Liberec in Ostrava. The team in Liberec was very strong, both organizationally and personally. There is great potential in this group of people and their experiences. I think that, even from a media and promotional standpoint, we have a wealth of experience that will help us in Ostrava, allowing us to excel at the highest sporting and organizational level. We aim to broadcast Czech games on ČT Sport.

On ČT Sport, you mentioned that Ostrava won over Hradec Králové, where the U23 Junior World Championship could be held in 2025. What is the status of this event in the Czech Republic?

The U23 and U16 Junior World Championships and a development program for the U14 category will take place in Hradec Králové in 2025. I believe this event will serve as a significant occasion tied to the historical founding date of the ČMSHb and will attract many spectators to the stands.