The 2026 Bandy World Championships concluded in Pori with a double triumph for Sweden, crowned world champions in both the women’s and men’s competitions. The tournament, staged in Finland, brought together the leading international national teams and once again confirmed Sweden’s historic weight within the global bandy landscape.
Beyond the results on the ice, the event combined elite sporting performance with key institutional decisions. During the championships, the Federation of International Bandy (FIB) held both its Executive Committee meeting and its Congress, positioning Pori not only as the centre of competition, but also as a focal point for the strategic future of the sport.
Sweden confirms its dominance in both categories
In the women’s tournament, Sweden claimed the world title after a consistently strong campaign. Norway secured the silver medal, while the United States took bronze, a podium that highlights the expanding competitive map of women’s bandy and the steady rise in international standards within the discipline.
The men’s competition followed a similar script, with Sweden once again finishing on top to claim a second gold medal at the championships. Host nation Finland, buoyed by strong local support, earned silver, while Norway completed the podium with bronze. The Swedish double reinforced the country’s status as a historic benchmark in world bandy.
Pori, a key venue for international bandy
The success of the championships was closely linked to the role played by the city of Pori and its local community. The commitment of organisers, volunteers and fans proved decisive in the smooth delivery of the event, creating an atmosphere that enhanced both the sporting spectacle and the tournament’s international profile.
The World Championships also served as an institutional platform. Holding the FIB Executive Committee meeting and Congress at the historic Pori Town Hall allowed competition and governance to be brought together within the same framework, underlining the event’s significance within the international bandy calendar.
The FIB approves short bandy as a new official discipline
Among the most significant decisions taken at the Congress was the approval of Short Bandy as the third official discipline, alongside traditional bandy and rink bandy. Played on an ice hockey rink, with teams of four players plus a goalkeeper, the format retains core elements of bandy — such as larger goals and corner play — while offering a faster, more dynamic style designed to support development and accessibility in new markets.
The Congress also honoured four figures for their long-standing contributions to the sport with induction into the FIB Hall of Fame: Attila Adamfi (Hungary), Leo Segerman (Finland), Per Gunnar Løken (Norway) and Magnus Sköld (United States). As the Pori 2026 World Championships draw to a close, the event leaves behind a legacy defined by sporting excellence, structural decisions and renewed momentum for the future of bandy at international level
