Photography: @2024 Masanori Udagawa / photowellington.com
World Wheelchair Rugby (WWR) proudly announces that The Hague has been selected as the host city for the upcoming European Championships in 2025. The championships will take place from April 21 to 27 at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark. This state-of-the-art campus, complete with its own stadium, is one of the premier sports centers in South Holland.
WWR Head of Competitions Tim Johnson said: “WWR is honoured to bring the Wheelchair Rugby European Championship back to the Netherlands. We would like to thank the national federation, the city of The Hague, and the LOC Team TOC for their support and dedication in making this possible. It promises to be a fantastic event showcasing top-tier parasport.”
Participation of the Netherlands
During the tournament, teams from 8 different countries will compete for the European title. As the host country, the Netherlands has guaranteed participation, while the other participating countries will be announced at a later date. In 2023, the following countries were qualified for this prestigious final tournament: Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Israel, and Czech Republic.
Quote from Gehandicaptensport Nederland (national federation), director Dos Engelaar: “As the National Federation, we are incredibly excited to host the European Wheelchair Rugby Championship in the Netherlands again after nearly 30 years. Wheelchair rugby is a sport full of passion and adrenaline, a beautiful sport to watch. With the arrival of this tournament, we offer the Netherlands the unique opportunity to experience this sport at an international level.”
The European Championship occurs biennially and the 2025 event will provide direct qualification for the top teams to the 2026 WWR World Championships, and serves as a crucial initial gauge for the path to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The previous European Championships took place in May 2023 in Cardiff, Wales.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark
The Hague boasts the Sportcampus Zuiderpark, a multifunctional sports complex that serves as an epicenter for various institutions actively engaged in groundbreaking research focused on innovation in elite sports, exercise physiology, and community involvement. This makes it a prime location for the Wheelchair Rugby European Championship.
Hilbert Bredemeijer, Deputy Mayor for Education, Youth, Sports, and Services of The Hague, expresses: “I am incredibly proud that the European Wheelchair Rugby Championship is coming to The Hague next year. It’s fantastic to witness international top athletes competing for the European title at this spectacular tournament. It will be a celebration for sports enthusiasts in The Hague at the Sportcampus.”
The local organizing committee for this elite sports event is Team TOC, a prominent sports events agency. Known for their successful organization of the European Para Championships in August 2023 in Rotterdam, the company brings a wealth of experience in parasports. CEO Eric Kersten eagerly anticipates the event: “We are thrilled to take on the organization of this wheelchair rugby tournament. We have long awaited the opportunity to organize an event in this sport, and now it is a dream come true in the beautiful surroundings of The Hague.”