European Championships will return to Finland next year when Lahti will host the 2022 European Men´s and Women´s Team Championships in February. 

The EMWTC22 officially crowns the best men's and women's teams in Europe and at the same time serves as the European qualifying event towards the Thomas & Uber Cup finals. 

The U15 European Championships will be played at the same time, the competition where Finland's Nella Nyqvist took the gold last year in Lievin, France.

Badminton Finland has demonstrated international-level expertise in organising top events over the past six months by successfully and safely hosting the European Junior Championships (U19) and the European Mixed Team Championships despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Badminton Finland wants to make badminton the sports phenomenon of this decade in Finland and top international events are at the very core of implementing our strategy. Such top events also play a major role in developing the Finnish badminton clubs. We believe that next year, COVID-19 will be under control and we can offer Finnish badminton clubs and sports fans the opportunity to see the best players in Europe and the world, says Ville Valorinta, CEO of Badminton Finland.

- Lahti offers completely unique conditions for the EMWTC, even on a European scale. Earlier this year, Badminton Europe decided that from 2024 onwards this tournament will be divided into qualifiers and finals, so it’s really great to get to do these historic competitions in Lahti and bring together all of the more than 60 participating teams for the last time and play under one roof. A great badminton party is in store. This is also the first time in the history of Badminton Finland that an adults’ top event will be held outside a metropolitan area. Badminton has more than 170,000 enthusiasts in Finland all over the country and Lahti is a short distance from many places, so we also expect a large home crowd to cheer for the Finnish teams, he continues.

- It's great to have this event in Lahti. It is especially significant that after COVID-19, that international activities will be launched with a high-level sporting event, which will also provide a significant boost to the region's industry, says Mari Kuparinen Director, City Development

The city of Lahti

Tommi Lanki, Director of Sports City of Lahti, warmly welcomes the event to the Lahti Sports Center.

- The event fits nicely into the area's infrastructure and supports the area's year-round use. The long tradition of elite competition is valuable for Lahti and it is nice to further expand the range of sports that are held in Lahti, says Lanki. 

The combination of the European Championships for men's and women's teams and the U15 European Championships brought more than 60 teams and more than 750 players with their support teams to France in 2020. In Lievin, this meant an economic impact of around 600,000 euros for the host city. Raija Forsman, CEO of Lahti Region, has closely promoted the European Championship project in Lahti with Badminton Finland. 

- From the perspective of tourism, the event brings a much welcomed international tourist flow to the winter months and fills the city’s hotels for over a week. I believe that the world has returned, at least in part, to a new normal at the time, and both athletes and supporters bring a nice buzz to the streets of Lahti, as well as to the shops and restaurants in the city centre. We want to show the best hospitality to our guests and give them the spark to return to Lahti region again, Forsman describes.

Lahti has almost 100 years of experience in organising international competition events. The conditions offered by Lahti for organising major events are first class. Modern facilities, services and venues serve the needs of athletes, spectators, business guests and the media. The Lahti Sports and Exhibition Center, which serves as a competition arena, is a multi-purpose venue connecting five different halls. 

EMWTC will be played in Lahti week 7 in 2022. 

For more on Lahti: https://visitlahti.fi/en/

Pictured Ville Valorinta, CEO of Badminton Finland, Raija Forsman, CEO of Lahti Region, and Tommi Lanki, Director of Sports at the City of Lahti.