Pihlajalinna and the 2026 World Floorball Championships have began a collaboration aimed at ensuring fast and expert care for players. The partnership will be visible at the Men’s World Floorball Championships held in Tampere in December 2026, where Pihlajalinna will strengthen the tournament’s first aid operations and secure a comprehensive care pathway for the teams.
The Men’s World Floorball Championships will take place in Tampere from December 5 to 13, 2026. The tournament organization is assembling first aid volunteers for the event, and Pihlajalinna will complement the setup with doctors familiar with the sport, as well as medical supplies.
For the teams, the cooperation means fast and expert medical care in the event of injuries or illness. Comprehensive care for the players also includes diagnostics and imaging services when needed.
“Pihlajalinna’s support provides a strong foundation for the first aid volunteers working at the event. The volunteers can focus on their own important role, knowing there is clear medical support in the background and a smooth connection to follow-up care if necessary. In this cooperation, the partners support and complement one another,” says Kati Voutilainen, Secretary General of the World Floorball Championships in Finland.
This is the first World Floorball Championships event where first aid and the teams’ care pathway are implemented using this model.
“The International Floorball Federation does not require a doctor for World Championship events. However, the Finnish Floorball Federation, together with Pihlajalinna, wants to manage tournament healthcare and player safety responsibly and proactively,” Kati Voutilainen adds.
“We want to be involved in building a safe tournament experience for players, teams, and event organizers alike. Pihlajalinna’s role is to bring healthcare expertise and specialist support to situations where prompt assistance is crucial,” says Heidi Haapasalo, specialist in sports medicine, orthopedics, and traumatology, who serves as the chief physician at Pihlajalinna Pirkanmaa Sports Clinic.
Together, the WFC event organization and Pihlajalinna are also enabling a tournament experience for pediatric oncology patients at Tampere University Hospital by providing them with WFC match tickets and a skybox where they can safely watch the games.
“In our cooperation, it is also important for us to do good for the surrounding community. The opportunity to offer children a safe tournament experience is a concrete way to bring joy and memorable moments where they are needed most,” states Marika Nevanpää, Regional Director for Central Finland at Pihlajalinna.