Poland will host the men’s EuroHockey Indoor Championship 2028 for the first time with Gniezno’s Hala Widowiskowo the venue for the marquee event from January 13th to 16th 2028.
Indeed, it will be the biggest indoor tournament the country has hosted since 2011’s Indoor World Cup.
“The Polish Hockey Association is honoured and delighted to have been entrusted with the privilege of hosting the EuroHockey Indoor Championship Men in 2028,” said Rafal Grotowski, PHA President.
“This is a significant milestone for our organisation and for Polish hockey as a whole; we have a strong and successful indoor hockey tradition in Poland.
“Our women and men national teams have earned nine medals in EuroHockey Indoor Championships over the years with the men’s team the current vice champion of Europe the women’s team holds the Indoor World Champions title.
“To welcome Europe’s finest indoor hockey nations to our home soil will allow us to showcase not only the quality of Polish hockey but also our organisational capabilities, our passionate hockey community, hospitality and our commitment to delivering an exceptional event for athletes, officials and fans.”
The hosting comes at an opportune time with the Polish men earning silver medals in both 2024 in Leuven (BEL) and 2026 in Heidelberg (GER).
Coach Dariusz Rachwalski links the side to that home 2011 World Cup where he was player of the tournament and captained Poland to silver – only missing out on gold in extra time – so he knows the boost a local crowd can bring.
“Hosting an event of this kind at the very highest level is something very special and indoor events create their own very special atmosphere,” Rachwalski said.
“We saw it in Heidelberg in January and the level of indoor hockey in Europe at the moment is really amazing and there is going to be so much quality.
“Gniezno is a city central to hockey in Poland with a lot of history in a key region for the sport and one which plenty of people will be able to visit.”
Grotowski is an Indoor World Cup finalist from 2007 and he concludes by saying: “We would like to thank EuroHockey for the confidence they have placed in us.
“We are fully committed to creating a championship that reflects the highest standards of our sport and leaves a lasting legacy for hockey in Poland and across Europe.
“We look forward to welcoming the European hockey family to Poland very soon.”
The tournament will feature 10 countries with Poland joined by reigning champions Austria, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal and Czechia. The line-up is completed by the promoted Croatia and Italy.
