HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT “SHORT BANDY”?
If you have never heard of Short Bandy, we can promise that you will in the near future! FIB decided to include this new discipline at FIB Annual Congress 2026 in Pori, Finland!
Short Bandy has become interesting to FIB, because it is more similar to big ice bandy than Rinkbandy. Several countries in Europe, which do not have access to big ice arenas, does already play Short Bandy, because of it’s similarity to bandy. As some of those countries normally play bandy in World Championship B-group, they have a lot of use for the way Short Bandy is played.
Attila Adamfi
-Short Bandy was recently presented to the International Olympic Committee as FIB’s latest discipline, meeting many requirements of the modern era of Olympic Winter Games. The IOC’s latest strategy – Fit for the Future – shaping the future Olympic Games is supported by Short Bandy’s characteristics, like the possibility of sharing venues and requiring less Athletes – still including bandy DNA in the sport, says Attila Adamfi, General Secretary of FIB.
SHORT BANDY WAS INVENTED 2021
Miroslav Samec, inventor of Short Bandy and General Secretary of the Czech Bandy Association:
Miroslav Samec
-The question in 2021 was “How to transfer elements from big ice bandy to the hockey rink?. We have been forced to train on hockey rinks because of the absence of large ice surface in many European countries. We tried to find ways to see what bandy conditions could be copied to Short Bandy. In June 2021 we played the first Short Bandy competition, says Miroslav.
-Due to the absence of a large ice surface, we played Short Bandy in the Czechia’s highest competition. The name Short Bandy became the proposal because we had a view of possible expansion around the world, Miroslav continues.
A strong reason for FIB to include a new discipline is to give teams, that only have access to a hockey rink, an easier way to participate in big ice bandy tournaments via Short Bandy. Another good ambition is to increase international tournaments with a discipline that is more related to bandy and open for countries with only hockey rinks. A basic description what Short Bandy is, that could be “Game on Ice hockey rink with Bandy DNA”
Frank Peters
Frank Peters, Chairman of the FIB Technical Committee has come close to Short Bandy during the preparation work in FIB:
-There is already 5 national federations that play Short Bandy. It is Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland and the Netherlands and there we see many positive experiences and similarities to bandy, but on hockey rinks.
What can develop when FIB includes Short Bandy as a new discipline? Frank Peters continues:
-There is a big opportunity to getting better as a player in Bandy as Short Bandy is much closer to Bandy than Rink Bandy. It is an opportunity for new countries to start developing the sport, even on an ice hockey arena. I know there is already an initiative for a Champions League for national champions. A World Championship in Short Bandy is also something that can be an option, especially if the World Championships in bandy is not played every year.
A FEW EXAMPLES THAT MAKES SHORT BANDY MORE
SIMILAR TO BIG ICE BANDY THAN RINKBANDY?
- Bigger goals than in Rink Bandy, (2,5 x 2,1 m) somewhere in between rink bandy goals and bandy goals.
- The existence of portable boards
- The ability to shoot from a distance
- Corner shots from a distance like from penalty area in bandy
- A penalty stroke is similar to bandy
- No play behind the goal, as in bandy
- The number of players is 4 field players and 1 goalkeeper. That gives more space for combinations and shooting.
Other useful advantages is for example the existence of portable boards and collapsible goals. That makes it easier to create a playing area even on a pond or lake.
NOW TIME FOR THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL SHORT BANDY
TOURNAMENT 12-13 SEPTEMBER!
This weekend will launch the first Short Bandy – European Clubs Tournament. This event serves as a pilot test with a few teams for the first time on an international stage. The teams will evaluate the format, logistics, and competitive spirit of this gathering. The insights gathered from this weekend will be instrumental in shaping the future of European bandy. The Vision: Success in this pilot event might pave the way for a Short Bandy as an important disciplin also for FIB. This future tournament aims to:
● Welcome a significantly larger number of teams from across Europe.
● Officially crown the European Short Bandy Champion.
● Introduce a dedicated Recreational/Leisure Group, ensuring that players of all levels can participate and enjoy the sport in a festive and international environment.
THE TEAMS COMPETING THIS WEEKEND 12-13 SEPTEMBER
in Porrentruy, Switzerland
FROM NETHERLANDS
Noviomagus Lions
Nijmegen Capitals
FROM GERMANY
EC Mainzer Wolf
FROM SWITZERLAND
Rinkball Dübendorf
Bandy Club Grand Chasseral
Bandy Club Val-de-Travers
CURIOUS? WATCH THESE VIDEOS!
WATCH THIS 20 MINUTE MIX FROM SHORT BANDY IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.