Today marks 40 years to the day that the International Floorball Federation was founded in Huskvarna, Sweden by the countries of Sweden, Switzerland & Finland. Floorball has gone through terrific journey since April 12th, 1986 spreading to over 80 countries worldwide and being played by over a million people worldwide. From World Championships to being included in Multi-Sport events such as the South-East Asian Games and The World Games. There have been many achievements and milestones from the past 40 years of Floorball. Check out some of the most significant ones below!
Key Historical Milestones
- 1958: “Cosom” plastic sticks introduced in Minneapolis, USA, later used for early floor hockey.
- Late 1960s/1970s: Modern floorball takes shape in Swedish schools and youth centers.
- 1979: The first official floorball club, Sala IBK, is founded in Sweden.
- 1981: The first official rulebook is created, marking the transition to a regulated sport.
- 1986: The International Floorball Federation (IFF) is established in Huskvarna, Sweden, by Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland.
- 1993: The first European Cup is held.
- 1994: The first Men’s European Championships are played in Finland.
- 1996: The first World Floorball Championships (WFC) for Men are held in Sweden (Stockholm). Sweden crowned as champion, Finland silver, Norway bronze
- 1997: The first Women’s World Floorball Championships are held (Mariehamn, Finland). Sweden wins the title, second Finland and Norway third
- 2001: The first Men’s U19 World Floorball Championships are held (Weissenfels, Germany)
- 2004: The first Women’s U19 World Floorball Championships are held (Tampere, Finland)
- 2005: Swiss women win their first World Championship title (In Singapore)
- 2008: Finnish men win their first gold (after six consecutive wins by Sweden)
- 2009: The IFF is provisionally recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- 2011: Manual Wheelchair Floorball is featured in the ParaGames.
- 2012: Full IOC recognition (8th of July)
- 2017: Floorball joins The World Games as part of its sport program for the first time as an official sport in Wrocław, Poland (Was demonstration in 1997)
- 2018: A new all-time attendance record (188.000) is set at the Men’s WFC in Prague
- 2019: Czechia win their first gold medal at the Men’s U19 (Halifax, Canada)
- 2024: Latvia breaks into the top 4 of the Men’s WFC & World Floorball Rankings breaking the “Top 4” establishment
- 2025: A new bespoke, unique, World Championship trophy for the Men & Women is introduced, The One Ball Trophy
- 2025: A new all-time attendance record (68.000) is set at the Women’s WFC in Brno and Ostrava, setting a new record for the Women’s World Floorball Championships.
Keep an eye on our social media channels over the next 365 days as we celebrate 40 years of International Floorball and look at how it developed from the initial stages in the 80’s to the boom in the Nordics in 90’s, the rise of the Czech and Swiss on the international stage in the 2000’s and how the 2010’s was when the growth of the sport really started to spread cross continent and worldwide. What are your fondest memories from 40 years of International Floorball?