Paredes has welcomed the best European rink hockey

The eight European teams that will participate in the European Roller Hockey Championship are already in Paredes. This Sunday, they visited the pavilion and participated in the welcome ceremony, which served as an interlude to the big competition that starts this Monday

The games are about to begin. The Rota dos Móveis pavilion in Paredes is ready to host the best rink hockey in Europe. The 2025 European Rink Hockey Championship in Paredes kicks off this Monday, 1 September, and runs until 6 September. The group stage will give way to the knockout rounds on the 4th and 5th, culminating in the final scheduled for 6 September at 9:15 pm. Portugal, Spain, Italy and France are in Group A; Germany, Andorra and Austria are in Group B.

Day 1 of the competition begins with the match between Germany and Andorra (2 p.m.), followed by Switzerland vs. Austria (4:30 p.m.); Spain vs. France (7 p.m.) and ends with Portugal vs. Italy (9:45 p.m.).

The teams are already in Paredes and on Sunday, the last day of August, they had the opportunity to test the floor and make final adjustments during official training sessions at the Rota do Móvel Pavilion. At the end of the day, the presentation ceremony was held, attended by Orlando Panza, chairman of the Rink Hockey Technical Committee of World Skate Europe, José Luís Pinto, vice-president of the Portuguese Skating Federation, and Alexandre Almeida, mayor of Paredes, as well as representatives from all the teams.

Luís Sénica, president of WSE and FPP, sent messages, which were read by Orlando Panza and José Luís Pinto, respectively.

“The European Championships are a celebration of talent, passion and competitive spirit,” said Luís Sénica, in his capacity as president of the WSE, thanking the Paredes City Council, the FPP and Sigma Stars for their support. For Orlando Panza, chairman of the WSE Technical Commission, “this championship is not just a competition, it is a space where months of work are transformed into spectacle, excitement and fair play”. José Luís Pinto, vice-president of the FPP, assured “pride and total support for the teams”. Alexandre Almeida, mayor of Paredes, expressed his “satisfaction at hosting the event in a municipality that has a great appreciation for rink hockey”.

The first edition of the European Roller Hockey Championship dates back to 1926, with England as the first European champion. Portugal has 21 trophies, followed by Spain with 19. England has won 12 times and Italy has been champion three times.
Spain, the current champion, is the most consistent team in recent decades, winning ten of the last 12 editions. The last time Portugal won was in 2016.

It should be noted that the rink hockey festival continues between 8 and 13 September, with the women’s teams taking to the same stage. Portugal, Spain, France and Italy are in Group A; England, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands are in Group B.

Message from Luís Sénica, president of WSE

“It is with great honour and enthusiasm that, on behalf of World Skate Europe, I welcome all the participating teams, the referees, the organisation and everyone who made this great event possible.

I would like to express my special thanks to the Paredes City Council for its total and unequivocal support, which demonstrates an exemplary commitment to sport and the international promotion of rink hockey.

We also recognise Sigma Stars, the promoter of this championship, for its excellence in organisation and the quality it brings to every detail of the event.

And I cannot fail to praise the Portuguese Skating Federation for its strategic vision and continuous work in favour of the development and promotion of rink hockey, both nationally and in Europe.

May this championship be a celebration of the talent, passion and competitive spirit that defines our sport.

Welcome to Paredes. Welcome to the WSE European Championships 2025.

What they said:

Orlando Panza (Chairman of the WSE rink hockey Technical Committee)

“This championship is not just a competition, it is a gathering of the best teams in Europe, our referees, coaches, managers and fans. It is a space where months of work are transformed into spectacle, excitement and fair play.”

José Luís Pinto, (Vice-President of the FPP)

“It is with great pride that, on behalf of the FPP, I welcome all the teams participating in this European championship. You can count on us to help with whatever you need, and I wish everyone a great competition and a great event.”

Alexandre Almeida (Mayor of Paredes)

“It is with great satisfaction that we welcome this competition once again. I wish everyone the best of luck and hope you have fun. I believe that all the conditions are in place for it to be a success. Paredes is a municipality that loves hockey, and it has been a much-loved sport here for many years. I am very grateful to the FPP for this opportunity, and I have no doubt that the pavilion will be full of fans cheering on their teams.”

Tickets are already available at the local ticket offices. Tickets for Portugal´s matches also available on meoblueticket.pt

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