Tampere Deck Arena in Finland has been confirmed as the main venue for the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.
The city has been named as the primary host city for the international event, with the under-construction 13,500-seat arena to be at the centre of the tournament.
The championship, to be held in May 2022, has split hosting rights between Tampere and the capital city of Helsinki. Finland are the current IIHF ice hockey champions.
The final, semi finals, two quarter finals and one preliminary round group game will be played at Tampere Deck Arena, which is estimated to open in the latter part of 2021.
Heikki Hietanen, general secretary of the organising committee, said: “For us this is great news. We really look forward to coming to Tampere: brand new arena will offer us an outstanding setting for the event.
“The location next to the railway is excellent, arena is easily and ecologically reached from around Finland. In addition, the involvement of the city is outstanding, which means a lot for the organiser.”
The Tampere Deck and Arena project will also include a block of residential buildings and connect the east and west sides of the city. The first phase of the project will include the construction of a deck on the south railway yard. The arena, along with a training facility, hotel and two tower blocks, will also be built on the deck. The second phase will include the north deck and three tower blocks.
Timo Nieminen, vice president of SRV, the company responsible for the building of the Tampere Deck and Arena, said the new multi-purpose arena will offer players, fans and partners “first class conditions to enjoy the event.”
IIHF vice president Kalervo Kummola, who lives in Tampere, added: “Getting a new arena to Tampere has been a long process, the planning started already in 2006 so for the city new arena is a huge thing. When looking from the IIHF’s perspective it’s great that in 2022 the World Championship is organised in the most modern arena in Europe.”
Negotiations on the second venue are still on-going and the location for the other preliminary round group and two quarterfinals will be announced later.
Image: ©SRV/ Credit Tomorrow AB / Studio Libeskind
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