Welcome to the 2011 IIHF World Championship official website.
We were very proud when the International Ice Hockey Federation announced that Slovakia was to host the 75th IIHF World Championship. In Bratislava and Košice between April 29th and May 15th 2011 you too can be a part of the exciting world performances of the fastest collective game in the world.
Ice hockey in Slovakia is the most successful collective sport and along with football, the most popular. There are many reasons why the IIHF has allotted Slovakia to host the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia; here are ten of them:
1. We are situated right in the very heart of Europe and fans are close at hand
2. Slovakia is a beautiful country (we are a small country with a great history; Slovaks are honest and kind-hearted people)
3. We have much to offer (the country has made great progress since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia)
4. We have high level sport venues (a modern, four-year-old arena in Kosice, and a completely rebuilt arena in Bratislava)
5. We are experienced (we co-organized the World Championship twice – in both 1959 and 1992, the World Cup and European Championships in Figure Skating, the U21 Euro Championship in football, the Bush-Putin Summit, etc.)
6. We have 80 years of ice hockey history (we are ranked second in terms of the number of players playing in NHL per the number of inhabitants, second only to Canada)
7. We have solid foundations (merely three years after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia we played in WM Pool A – having progressed from Division C - and in 2002 we attained the world champion title)
8. We are the only hockey world champion that has not yet hosted the World Championship for its fans
9. Almost the whole world knows ‘Made in Slovakia’ pucks (Slovak ice hockey players carry the reputation of both our country and the sport itself all over the world)
10. Last but not least, there is no other reason why the World Championship should not be held in Slovakia (come to Slovakia, see excellent hockey, delight in the beautiful countryside and celebrate with the good people)!
We are preparing the organisation of the 75th IIHF World Championship at full throttle. Since summer 2009, the 2011 World Championship Organization Committee has been in effect and it is constantly growing - we estimate that by the beginning of the championship it will be set to number a thousand members including volunteers. The members of the Organizing Committee are highly skilled professionals, what’s more; they are all great hockey enthusiasts – something which serves as a noteworthy advantage and a significant basis for how to deliver a successful tournament.
The successful Slovak candidature to host the 2011 IIHF World Championship in 2006 at the IIHF Congress in Riga, Latvia, introduced the above mentioned top ten reasons why the ice hockey festival should come to Slovakia. And there are no obstacles to you becoming a part of it too. You will be more than welcome in Bratislava and Košice, come to the heart of Europe and open your hearts for a celebration of the fastest team sport in the world. We all are looking forward to seeing you!
Igor Nemecek
Chairman of the 2011 IIHF World Championship Organization Committee, Slovakia
