A mere three nations have since the first tournament in 1920 managed to win the World title in front of their home crowd – Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia three times each and the United States in the 1960 Olympics – then counting as the World Championships as well. But the Swedes take comfort in the fact that the 2012 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournament, organized jointly with Helsinki, will feature all of the final games in the Finnish capital. “Looking at statistics, it’s an advantage that we will play semifinal and final in Helsinki, in other words away from home,” said Tommy Boustedt, director of development for the Swedish national team program. Boustedt was reflecting over the tournament some 200 days before first face-off, with national coach Pär Mårts traveling Sweden to follow the opening rounds of the national Elite series. The pressure on the team in hockey-crazy Sweden will as usual be enormous, in a country that celebrates hockey titles like few other events, but Boustedt is enjoying the attention. “We’re a great team working with the mission. Pelle (Pär Mårts) Pollen (Peter Popovic) and Garpen (Johan Garpenlöv) are all deeply involved in scouting players for the Worlds, Pelle and Johan will travel three times to North America to see NHL-games this season,” Boustedt said. Peter Popovic will follow the Swedish KHL players performing in Russia this winter. In addition the Euro hockey tour will include four tournaments before the World cup, starting out with the Karjala cup in Finland in November. “It’s so special for us. Both the leaders and the players will feel a greater pressure than usual. We will have families and friends sitting on the stands. The media will naturally demand more from us with the event is being played at home. Some of it can be hard to handle, but naturally, a World event at home is an amazing experience.” Boustedt said. A home team hasn’t prevailed in the World Championships since the Soviet Union won in 1986 in Moscow ahead of Sweden and Canada. On the other hand, the 2012 World Championships is staged in two countries with the semifinals and final being played in Finland, while opening up an opportunity for the Swedes, also gives Finland a chance to repeat the 1995 World title in Stockholm, where the semifinals and final will be played in 2013. Niclas Lidström <table> <tr> <td colspan="3"> Facts, World titles won at home in ice hockey since 1920</td></tr> <tr> <td>Year</td><td>City</td><td>Team</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1986</td><td>Moscow</td><td>Soviet Union</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1985</td><td>Prague</td><td>Czechoslovakia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1979</td><td>Moscow</td><td>Soviet Union</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1973</td><td>Moscow</td><td>Soviet Union</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1972</td><td>Prague</td><td>Czechoslovakia</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1960</td><td>Squaw Valley</td><td>United States (Olympic tournament also counting as World Cup)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1947</td><td>Prague</td><td>Czechoslovakia</td> </tr> </table>