Finland to host 2021 European Mixed Team Championships

It is a historical moment: For the first time Finland will be hosting a Badminton Europe major event for the absolute top players.

The global situation about COVID-19 is still developing from day to day. Events all around the world have been cancelled or postponed, and Badminton Europe has closely been monitoring the situation which also have led to postponements of Badminton Europe activities.

Badminton Europe believes and hopes that the COVID-19 situation will allow people to gather together to enjoy sports and celebrate together, and therefore it is with big pleasure that Badminton Europe and Badminton Finland today are announcing that the 2021 European Mixed Team Championships will take place in Vantaa, just outside Helsinki, in February 2021.

- I am very excited that we will be going to Finland in 2021 for the European Mixed Team Championships. We know that the Finnish federation is a good host from what we have seen from their circuit tournament and the 2011 European Junior Championships. I am looking very much forward to it, Brian Agerbak, General Secretary at Badminton Europe, stated.

Kick-start for new strategy

The host is looking forward to welcome the European top players and the fans of badminton to the Finnish capital.

- We are very excited to have been nominated as the host for the European Mixed Team Championships. This is a perfect kick-start for our new strategy which aims at developing the visibility and popularity of badminton in Finland and organizing major international tournaments is key part of that plan, Ville Valorinta, Secretary General of Badminton Finland, said.

- Of course, there are still uncertainties about how and when sports events and e.g. international travel will recover from the Corona situation, but we hope and trust that the tournament can be carried out as planned next February and we will certainly start planning an preparing for it full speed right away.

The best teams – the best players

The setup with eight teams taking part in the final stage of the European Mixed Team Championships was introduced at the 2019 European Mixed Team Championships, and Brian Agerbak is looking forward to see the best European teams in action.

- It is the strongest teams and the best players who are taking part in this event. In 2019 we saw a lot of great matchups and I expect no less in 2021.

- I expect the best players to attend and I am sure this will be an outstanding event for the players, the volunteers and the fans, the General Secretary said.

Qualification for Sudirman Cup

European and Finnish badminton fans have something to look forward to in 2021: Finland will be hosting the biggest badminton team event on European soil in 2021 when the top nations in Europe will be competing at the European Mixed Team Championships.

The qualified teams for the 2021 European Mixed Team Championships finals will be found in December 2020 through qualification. The host, Finland, and the defending champions from Denmark are automatically qualified.

For the first time the European Mixed Team Championships will count as qualification for Sudirman Cup, the official World Mixed Team Championships. The four best teams from the 2021 European Mixed Team Championships will qualify for the Sudirman Cup 2021, which will take place in Suzhou, China.

The qualification will take place from 3-6 December 2020 and the 2021 European Mixed Team Championships will take place in week 7 2021.

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