Unique World Cup in the middle of the forests of Småland: "We do this for the good of the sport"

Eriksson Arena, with the dense småland spruce forest as its closest neighbor, is hosting the bandy world championships once again.

Last year, the Women's World Cup was decided here and this year the Men's World Cup is also decided at the same time.

The small club Åby/Tjureda IF owns and operates its facility far from the pulse and grand arenas of the big cities.

"We are the non-profit association, where everyone stands up and works for this. Together with Växjö municipality, we organized the Women's World Cup last year and did it in a professional way. The Swedish Bandy Association was very satisfied and now we were entrusted with doing it again, says Malin Svensson, chairman of Åby/Tjureda IF to SVT Sport.

Plus deal for the organizing club

Pär Gustafsson, secretary general of the Swedish Bandy Association, stresses that the uniqueness of arranging two World Cups at the same time takes precedence over financial gains.

" This championship is so unique with both women and men at the same time, and then Åby together with Växjö municipality feels like the best alternative. We're not doing this to make a lot of money, we're doing it for the good of the sport, in the position we are in the world. If we finish somewhere around "break even", we are very happy, he tells SVT Sport.

But it is certainly an important financial item in the balance sheet for Åby / Tjureda that the World Cup will be a plus deal.

- Answer yes. It is clear that it is very important for our own economic sustainable development to manage this with an arena that we own and drft ourselves, with the opportunities and challenges it is, says Malin Svensson.

SVT broadcasts the World Cup finals for both women and men on Sunday, April 2 in SVT1/Play and SVT2/Play.