Broomball World Championships

Ice hockey without skates

At first glance, broomball resembles ice hockey: two teams play on an ice surface, with goals and goalkeepers. But instead of skates the players wear shoes with grippy soles, instead of hockey sticks they use sticks with a triangular head, and instead of a puck a small ball. The world championships are organised by the International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA).

Categories

Several titles are awarded at a Broomball World Championship, typically for women, men and mixed teams. Sometimes there are also competitions for juniors or older players. The championships take place every few years in different countries.

Strong nations

Most titles have gone to Canada and the USA, where broomball is played in many communities. In Europe, Switzerland and Italy are among the more active countries. There are also teams from Japan, Australia and other countries.

Tournament format

Teams first play in groups, followed by knockout games for the medals. Playing time and other details are set by the tournament regulations.

Rules in brief

As in ice hockey, teams play with five outfield players and a goalkeeper. Body contact is limited. Because you cannot stop as quickly in shoes, collisions and falls are common, which is why helmets and pads are worn.

Broomball in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Switzerland has a broomball association and teams that compete internationally. In Germany and Austria the sport is still rare. For corporate events or recreational groups, however, broomball is a good alternative to ice hockey because nobody needs to be able to skate.

Why broomball is fun

Broomball is easy to learn and very sociable. Anyone who already knows ice hockey or ringette picks it up quickly. Some ice rinks offer broomball for events or company parties.

Equipment

Broomball's signature items are the shoes with soft, grippy rubber soles that give traction on ice. The stick is made of wood, aluminium or plastic and has a triangular rubberised head at the end, a reminder of its origins as a broom. The ball is slightly larger than a puck and rolls on the ice. Helmets with cages are common at tournaments, as are knee and elbow pads, because falls are part of the game. Goalkeepers wear additional padding and may play the ball with their hands.

Strongholds in North America

In Canada, broomball is played in many communities as a recreational league. In the USA the sport is particularly widespread in Minnesota and Michigan, including at universities such as Michigan Technological University, where broomball is a major campus tournament. Many world championship players come from these regions.

History

Broomball originated in Canada, originally with real brooms on frozen surfaces. The brooms later became specially shaped sticks. With the founding of international federations, a uniform rulebook developed that made tournaments between countries possible.

Europe

Switzerland is one of the few European countries with organised broomball teams and takes part in international tournaments. Broomball is also played in Italy.

Rink and teams

The game is played on a standard ice hockey rink with boards and goals. A team has six players on the ice, five outfield players and a goalkeeper, and changes on the fly. The goalkeeper may catch the ball and play it by hand. Because stopping is harder in shoes, teams rely on short passes and positional play rather than long sprints.