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“There are two cathedrals in Valencia – the Catedral de Santa Maria for the city’s faithful Catholics and the Estadio de Mestalla for all Valencia C.F. supporters,” says my good friend Ove, who lives most of the year in Valencia, while we enjoy the spring sun and a nice glass of red wine on Avenida d*Aragón, just a throw-in from the iconic football stadium. Ove often comes to Mestalla and follows Spanish club football closely by reading the sports newspaper “Marca” daily. “Unfortunately, Valencia C.F. has had a very difficult time – both financially and the results of the team – in recent years, but this has not affected the intense atmosphere at Mestalla. It is always sold out with 55,000 spectators, who shout and scream at the opposing team – not least when the big clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid come to visit Mestalla. But the fans also come with loud expressions of displeasure and slanderous chants against the home team when the local heroes do not live up to the fans’ high – and sometimes unrealistic – expectations”, Ove continues.

Estadio de Mestalla – an iconic stadium with a varied history

Mestalla is one of the most legendary football stadiums in Spain, which was inaugurated in 1923 with a friendly match between the two local clubs: Valencia C.F. and Levante U.D. The stadium is named after the historic irrigation canal – Acequia de Mestalla – which ran next to the pitch. Mestalla originally had a capacity of 17,000 spectators, but the capacity has been expanded several times over the past 100 years. Today, the extremely steep stands can accommodate 55,000 spectators. The stadium has a very colorful history, including being used as a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and being hit by a major flood from the Turia River in 1957, which destroyed large parts of the stadium. Valencia C.F. has always had its home ground at Mestalla, which was modernized in connection with the 1982 FIFA World Cup, where Spain played several of their matches here.

Valencia Club di Fútbol – one of Spain’s most traditional clubs

Valencia C.F. is one of Spain’s most traditional football clubs. The club, which was founded on 18 March 1919, has played a total of 91 seasons in La Liga – Spain’s top football league. The number of seasons is only surpassed by Real Madrid F.C., F.C. Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, who have participated in all 95 seasons in La Liga. The club has won the national championship a total of 6 times, most recently in 2001/2002 and 2003/2004. In addition, the club has won the Spanish cup tournament – ​​Copa del Rey – 8 times, most recently in 2007/2008. Around the turn of the millennium, Valencia C.F. also had great international success with the Europa League title in 2003/2004 and qualification for two Champions League finals. However, both finals were lost to Real Madrid (2000) and Bayern Munich (2001) respectively after a penalty shootout. Valencia C.F.’s most recent participation in European club football was in the 2019/2020 season, where the club reached the last 16 teams in the UEFA Champions League. In recent seasons, “Chotos” – especially due to financial chaos and gigantic debts in connection with the construction of a new stadium – have had a difficult sporting life. The club has been in danger of relegation for several seasons and is currently in a modest 14th place out of 20 teams – only 6 points from the relegation zone before the last 6 matches.

Nou Mestalla – from empty monument to architectural top class

It is now almost 20 years since Valencia C.F. began construction of a new stadium – Nou Mestalla – as a replacement for the Estadio de Mestalla in the old town of Valencia. However, construction came to a halt shortly after due to financial problems during the global financial crisis and for over 15 years the concrete structure on the outskirts of Valencia has stood as an empty monument to a major economic quagmire. Along the way, the club built up a staggering debt of over 3 billion and only recently did construction resume after the American investment bank Golden Sachs stepped in as financial advisor and direct lender together with a number of international investors. As part of the financing package, the bank took over the right to sell the land where the current Mestalla is located.

Nou Mestalla has a capacity of 75,000, i.e. 20,000 more than the current stadium. Valencia C.F.’s enormous popularity in Spain’s third largest city with 850,000 inhabitants is also confirmed by advance reservations of all seats and more than 20,000 fans on the waiting list for a season ticket. It is expected that the new stadium can be inaugurated at the start of the season in August 2027, just as the stadium will probably also host several matches at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, where Spain is the host nation along with Morocco and Portugal.

“For many of the club’s fans, it will be very sad to leave the old Mestalla in the city center in favor of the new stadium on the outskirts of the city. However, I am sure that they hope and believe that Valencia C.F. can win titles again when the Nou Mestalla is ready for next season. If we avoid relegation this year,” says Ove with conviction in his voice before we decide on an extra glass of red wine.

 

“There are two cathedrals in Valencia – the Catedral de Santa Maria for the city’s faithful Catholics and the Estadio de Mestalla for all Valencia C.F. supporters,” says my good friend Ove, who lives most of the year in Valencia, while we enjoy the spring sun and a nice glass of red wine on Avenida d’Aragón, just a throw-in from the iconic football stadium. Ove often comes to Mestalla and follows Spanish club football closely by reading the sports newspaper “Marca” daily. “Unfortunately, Valencia C.F. has had a very difficult time – both financially and the results of the team – in recent years, but this has not affected the intense atmosphere at Mestalla. It is always sold out with 55,000 spectators, who shout and scream at the opposing team – not least when the big clubs FC Barcelona and Real Madrid come to visit Mestalla. But the fans also come with loud expressions of displeasure and slanderous chants against the home team when the local heroes do not live up to the fans’ high – and sometimes unrealistic – expectations”, Ove continues.

Estadio de Mestalla – an iconic stadium with a varied past

Mestalla is one of the most legendary football stadiums in Spain, which was inaugurated in 1923 with a friendly match between the two local clubs: Valencia C.F. and Levante U.D. The stadium is named after the historic irrigation canal – Acequia de Mestalla – which ran next to the pitch. Mestalla originally had a capacity of 17,000 spectators, but the capacity has been expanded several times over the past 100 years. Today, the extremely steep stands can accommodate 55,000 spectators. The stadium has a very colorful history, including being used as a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and being hit by a major flood from the Turia River in 1957, which destroyed large parts of the stadium. Valencia C.F. has always had its home ground at Mestalla, which was modernized in connection with the 1982 FIFA World Cup, where Spain played several of their matches here.

Valencia Club di Fútbol – one of Spain’s most traditional clubs

Valencia C.F. is one of Spain’s most traditional football clubs. The club, which was founded on 18 March 1919, has played a total of 91 seasons in La Liga – Spain’s top football league. The number of seasons is only surpassed by Real Madrid F.C., F.C. Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, who have participated in all 95 seasons in La Liga. The club has won the national championship a total of 6 times, most recently in 2001/2002 and 2003/2004. In addition, the club has won the Spanish cup tournament – ​​Copa del Rey – 8 times, most recently in 2007/2008. Around the turn of the millennium, Valencia C.F. also had great international success with the Europa League title in 2003/2004 and qualification for two Champions League finals. However, both finals were lost to Real Madrid (2000) and Bayern Munich (2001) respectively after a penalty shootout. Valencia C.F.’s most recent participation in European club football was in the 2019/2020 season, where the club reached the last 16 teams in the UEFA Champions League. In recent seasons, “Chotos” – especially due to financial chaos and gigantic debts in connection with the construction of a new stadium – have had a difficult sporting life. The club has been in danger of relegation for several seasons and is currently in a modest 14th place out of 20 teams – only 6 points from the relegation zone before the last 6 matches.

Nou Mestalla – from empty monument to architectural top class

It is now almost 20 years since Valencia C.F. began construction of a new stadium – Nou Mestalla – as a replacement for the Estadio de Mestalla in the old town of Valencia. However, construction came to a halt shortly after due to financial problems during the global financial crisis and for over 15 years the concrete structure on the outskirts of Valencia has stood as an empty monument to a major economic quagmire. Along the way, the club built up a staggering debt of over 3 billion and only recently did construction resume after the American investment bank Golden Sachs stepped in as financial advisor and direct lender together with a number of international investors. As part of the financing package, the bank took over the right to sell the land where the current Mestalla is located.

Nou Mestalla has a capacity of 75,000, i.e. 20,000 more than the current stadium. Valencia C.F.’s enormous popularity in Spain’s third largest city with 850,000 inhabitants is also confirmed by advance reservations of all seats and more than 20,000 fans on the waiting list for a season ticket. It is expected that the new stadium can be inaugurated at the start of the season in August 2027, just as the stadium will probably also host several matches at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, where Spain is the host nation along with Morocco and Portugal.

“For many of the club’s fans, it will be very sad to leave the old Mestalla in the city center in favor of the new stadium on the outskirts of the city. However, I am sure that they hope and believe that Valencia C.F. can win titles again when the Nou Mestalla is ready for next season. If we avoid relegation this year,” says Ove with conviction in his voice before we decide on an extra glass of red wine.

Sources:

• Valencia C.F. – https://www.valenciacf.com/home
• La Liga – https://www.laliga.com/en-DK
• Football Stadiums – https://www.football-stadiums.co.uk/grounds/spain/the-mestalla/

All emotions are at the highest level by players, coaches, managers and fans when arch-rivals from F.C. Internazionale and A.C. Milan on Sunday night match up at the Stadio Guiseppe Meazza in Milan. The local derby between two of Italy’s most traditional and winning football clubs is the highlight of the year for all Milanese, but the derby – named after the gilded statue of the little Virgin Mary sitting on top of the city’s stunning cathedral Il Duomo – will also be followed with great excitement all over Italy and among football fans all over the world. A victory for F.C. Inter in the “Derby della Madonnina” will bring the club very close to the national championship – Il Scudetto – for the 21st time. It will distance the leaders by 13 points from A.C. Milan and 14 points from the defending champions SSC Napoli before the last 10 games.

In a few hours, the “Arena di Verona” will be the venue for the Closing Ceremony of the “XXV Winter Olympic Games”, where 116 medal sets are distributed in 16 different sports. The 2026 Olympics in Milan Cortina were a gigantic success for Norway with a total of 41 medals, including 18 gold medals. Norway thus set a new Olympic record and underlined its position as the world’s absolute best winter sports nation – a position that has been expanded over the past decade.

Norway – overwhelming winner of the international competition

Norway’s total number of Olympic medals was 41 (18 gold, 12 silver and 11 bronze), which is four more than the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing (16 gold, 8 silver and 13 bronze) and two more than the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang (14 gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze), where Norway also won the international competition. The Norwegian Olympic medals were won in 7 different sports; 14 medals in cross-country skiing, 11 in biathlon, 5 in ski jumping and 4 medals in both speed skating and Nordic combined (ski jumping and cross-country skiing).

The biggest Norwegian Olympic profile has undoubtedly been the cross-country skier Johannes Hoesflot Klæbo with 6 gold medals (4 individual and 2 relay). The 29-year-old Klæbo from Trondheim now has the status of the most winning athlete in the history of the Winter Olympics with a total of 11 gold medals. In addition, the likeable Norwegian has won 15 World Championship gold medals and more than 100 individual World Cup victories over the past decade. In addition to Klæbo, Jens Oftebro in Nordic combined with 3 gold medals and biathletes Sturla Holm Laegreid with 5 and Maren Kirkeeide with 3 medals contributed greatly to the impressive Norwegian medal harvest.

Sweden – fantastic performances by female cross-country skiers

Sweden has strong traditions in many winter sports. The Swedish athletes and teams also showed this at the 2026 Olympics, where they won a total of 18 medals (6 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze) and thus ranked 7th in the international competition. Sweden achieved exactly the same results at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where Sweden also achieved 18 medals (8 gold, 5 silver and 5 bronze). The Swedish medals were won in 5 different sports and the female cross-country skiers in particular – Frida Karlsson, Jonna Sundling, Ebba Andersson, Linn Svahn and Maja Dahlqvist – have impressed greatly with a total of 9 Olympic medals. Sweden also won two gold medals in curling by the women’s team and mixed doubles. The biggest disappointments for Sweden are undoubtedly the failure to win medals in ice hockey, neither for women nor men.

Finland – 6 medals, but none of them gold

Finland was very close to matching the medal tally at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where it won 8 medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze). However, it won 6 medals, but none of them were gold and only one was silver. The Finnish medals (1 silver and 5 bronze) were won in 4 different sports: ice hockey, biathlon, cross-country skiing and Nordic combined. Finland will not be able to repeat the Olympic gold medal from 2022 in the national sport of ice hockey. The team lost in the semi-finals to the USA, but subsequently won the bronze medal match against Slovakia. The Finnish results only reached a modest 23rd place in the international competition after nations such as the Czech Republic, Australia and Slovenia.

Denmark – first individual Olympic medal and two positive debutants

Denmark is not a winter sports nation, but there were still Danish athletes and teams in 7 sports at the 2026 Winter Olympics – the largest number ever. Sensational success for 31-year-old Viktor Hald Thorup in winning the silver medal after a tactically brilliant final race – the first individual Olympic medal for Denmark. In addition, surprising success for both 18-year-old Olympic debutant Maja Voigt, who came in 9th in monobob and biathlete Anne de Besche, who came in 16th in sprint. The men’s ice hockey team failed to qualify for the quarterfinals despite good performances against, among others, the USA and the Czech Republic, while the women’s curling team came in 7th place.

Best Nordic Winter Olympics ever

It is very impressive that the Nordic countries, with Norway and Sweden among the biggest medal winners and a relatively small population, are able to win a total of 66 medals (26 gold, 20 silver and 20 bronze) at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The number of Olympic medals is thus … higher than at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, where a total of 63 medals were won, of which 26 were gold for the Nordic countries. There are many reasons for Nordic optimism towards the “French Alps 2030”.

Sources:

• Milano Cortina 2026 – https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026
• French Alps 2030 – https://www.olympics.com/en/news/olympic-games-french-alps-2030-everything-you-need-to-know
• “Is the Winter Olympics possible in the future?” (9.2.2023) – Is the Winter Olympics possible in the future? · MA57 Consulting
• ”Best Nordic Winter Olympics ever” (24.2.2022) – Best Nordic Winter Olympics ever · MA57 Consulting
• „Biathlon – the most fascinating sport at the 2022 Winter Olympics“ (1.2.2022) – https://ma57.dk/en/biathlon-the-most-fascinating-sport-at-the-2022-winter-olympics/

I will spend the coming Saturday evening in Milan with 6 good friends – not to look at fashion clothes, expensive cars or opera in “La Scala”. The event is much more intense and interesting for a bunch of sports fans; Denmark’s second match in the Olympic ice hockey tournament against the big favorites from the USA. In my opinion, sports at the highest international level – especially ice hockey – should be experienced “live on location” and not in front of a TV screen. For this reason, a special experience awaits in Milan’s Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is a newly built multi-arena with space for 14,000 spectators.

Olympic Ice Hockey Finals – Magical Memories

One of my magical sports memories is the 2010 Olympic Ice Hockey Final between Canada and the USA, which I witnessed with 20,000 amazing hockey fans at Canada Hockey Place, Vancouver. The match between the two hockey giants was intense and dramatic from the first to the last second. Canada took a 2-0 lead in the 1st period, but just 22 seconds before the final whistle in the 3rd and final period, the USA tied the game at 2-2, shocking the home crowd and forcing the game into overtime. After 8 minutes, superstar Sidney Crosby scored the iconic “Golden Goal” and all of Canada exploded in cheers. I still remember the ecstatic atmosphere in all the bars and restaurants in Vancouver that Sunday evening and night 16 years ago. The 38-year-old Sidney Crosby, who has now played more than 1,500 NHL games and scored 1,947 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins over 21 seasons, can win his third Olympic gold medal for “Team Canada” in Milan.

Other Olympic ice hockey finals are also burned into my memory, including Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Canada at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer – the final that was decided by the legend Peter Forsberg’s penalty kick. Finland’s surprising gold medals at the most recent 2022 Olympics in Beijing and the USA’s victory in the semi-final over the Soviet Union’s big favorites – the “Miracle on Ice” – at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid are also strong moments in my memories.

NHL – the world’s strongest ice hockey league

The most skillful hockey players play daily in the National Hockey League (NHL), which is by far the world’s strongest and most commercial professional ice hockey league. The NHL is a national group consisting of 32 teams – 25 in the USA and 7 in Canada. The teams are divided into two conferences: Eastern and Western and 4 divisions: Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central and Pacific. All teams play 82 games in the regular season, which runs from October to April. After the regular season, a playoff is held between the 16 best teams according to the “best of 7 games” principle. The winner of the two conferences meets in the final for one of the world’s oldest and most famous sports trophies: the Stanley Cup. At present, only one Danish hockey player – Lars Eller – has won this trophy with the Washington Capitals in 2018. With more than 1,250 NHL games, the 36-year-old Lars Eller is by far the most experienced player in Denmark’s squad at the 2026 Olympics.

The NHL sets all common rules and commercial agreements for all teams. These include, for example, the match schedule (game times and arenas), salary levels for both the team and individual players (minimum and maximum), insurance amounts, player transfers between teams, disciplinary sanctions and much more. The NHL also decides whether the tournament should be suspended during the Olympics, which gives all NHL players the opportunity to win Olympic medals. The NHL tournament was not suspended during the last two Olympics (Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022), i.e. without many of the very best NHL players. However, this will not be the case during the upcoming Olympics in Milan.

USA – a national team of world stars

The suspension of the NHL during the Olympics means that both the USA and the other top nations – Canada, Finland, the Czech Republic and Sweden – will be fielding many world stars. Among the top players on the USA team are the two hyper dangerous forwards: Auston Matthews from the Toronto Maple Leafs (748 NHL games and 834 points) and Jack Eichel from the Vegas Golden Knights (706 NHL games and 719 points). In addition, the USA has a very strong defense with two guards with great offensive qualities: Quinn Hughes from the Minnesota Wild (515 NHL games and 492 points) and Charlie McAvoy from the Boston Bruins (640 NHL games and 387 points) as well as two of the NHL’s absolute best goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets and Jake Oettinger from the Dallas Star. The USA squad of 25 players has played a total of more than 15,000 NHL games to date, while Denmark’s squad has played a little over 3,000 NHL games.

Denmark – few NHL profiles, but strong fight and unique team spirit

In addition to Lars Eller, the Danish Olympic national team features several players who are prominent profiles on their respective NHL teams: Goalkeeper Frederik Andersen from the Carolina Hurricanes (624 NHL games), Nikolaj Ehlers also from the Carolina Hurricanes (776 NHL games and 584 points), Oliver Bjørkstrand from the Tampa Bay Lightning (724 games and 431 points). Among Denmark’s key players should also be mentioned captain Jesper Jensen Aabo, who has played no fewer than 14 World Cup finals for the “lions”. Jesper was deservedly Denmark’s flag bearer at the Olympic opening at Stadio San Siro. There is no doubt that these players must deliver top performances if Denmark’s dream of an Olympic quarterfinal is to be realized. There is also no doubt that the Olympic tournament is a major “platform” for the 20-year-old Oscar Fisker Mølgaard, who has already made his NHL debut for the Seattle Kraken and the 25-year-old goalie Mads Søgaard, who has been associated with the Ottawa Senator for several seasons.

Probably few people with knowledge of ice hockey expect points for Denmark against the USA on Saturday. Since their A-World Championship debut in 2003 and most recently at the 2022 Olympics and the 2025 World Championship on home arena in Herning, Denmark has repeatedly shown strong fight and unique team spirit. For that reason, I believe in Danish points – either against Germany on Thursday (12.2.) or Latvia on Sunday (15.2.), which is no. 9 on the IIHF rankings – just behind Denmark in 8th place.

Sources:

• National Hockey League (NHL) – Official Site of the National Hockey League | NHL.com
• “The Dream of the Nation Hockey League” (15.2.2021) – The dream of National Hockey League · MA57 Consulting
• “Success of Danish hockey: Two National teams at the 2022 Winter OG” (18.12.2021) – https://ma57.dk/en/success-of-danish-hockey-two-national-teams-at-the-2022-winter-og/
• Olympics 2026 Milano-Cortina Ice Hockey – https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/schedule/iho
• Miracle: The Boys of ’80 (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/dk/title/81995302?trackId=259776131&trkId=259776131&src=tudum

 

A few weeks ago, the Faroese men’s national handball team, with fantastic support from more than 6,000 Faroese fans in the stands, achieved impressive results at the “EHF EURO 2026”. The Faroe Islands were very close to qualifying for the main round and thus achieving a raking among Europe’s 12 best nations in the Olympic sport. The Faroe Islands have a very realistic opportunity to qualify for the “2027 IHF World Championship” in Germany, which is the pathway to the 2028 Olympics. The upcoming Olympic tournament in Los Angeles will consist of 12 nations, of which 8 or 9 will probably be from Europe.

In the coming weeks, Ukaleq Slettemark and Sondre Slettemark from Greenland will be among the world’s best biathletes, competing for Olympic medals and national glory at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Athletes and national teams from the Faroe Islands and Greenland do not currently have the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games as independent nations due to the International Olympic Committee’s inconsistent rules.

Faroe Islands and Greenland without independent membership of the IOC

The Faroe Islands and Greenland have been working towards and applying for independent membership of the IOC since the mid-1980s, but both have so far been rejected for political reasons. Both countries have independent national sports federations, Itróttamband Føroya (ÌSF founded in 1939) and the Greenland Sports Federation (GIF founded in 1953), which consist of a relatively large number of federations, such as Hondbóltssamband Føroya (HSF) and the Greenland Biathlon Federation (GBF). HSF, which was founded in 1980, today has independent status with both the European Handball Federation (EHF) and the International Handball Federation (IHF). This means that the Faroese women’s and men’s handball national teams can qualify for and compete for medals at both the European and World Championships, but not at the Olympic Games. Likewise, the two siblings Ukaleq and Sondre Slettemark can represent Greenland at the European Championships, World Championships and World Cups, but not at the Winter Olympics.

The IOC has not approved National Olympic Committees in Greenland and the Faroe Islands despite several applications

The IOC decides sovereignly which nations can participate in the Olympic Games. At the 2024 Olympics in Paris, athletes and teams from 204 nations participated, while more than 90 nations are expected to participate with athletes and teams at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. At present, athletes and teams from nations that have an IOC-approved National Olympic Committee (NOC) are excluded from participating in the Olympics. And the IOC has not yet approved either Itróttamband Føroya or the Greenland Sports Federation as independent NOCs despite repeated applications, most recently from ÍSF in 2023. Both the Faroe Islands and Greenland have expanded self-government with independent parliaments (Lagtinget and Inatsisartut) and governments (Landsstyret and Naalakkersuisut), but not full sovereignty. This has been brought to the fore in recent weeks, with Greenland’s status as part of the Kingdom, for defence and security reasons, being emphasised by politicians and the media. Constitutional matters mean that King Frederik X is formally and ceremonially the Head of State of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.

IOC’s inconsistent rules discriminate between athletes and nations

King Charles III has the same status as King Frederik X in relation to nations such as Saint Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Bardura, which are members of the Commonwealth of Nations – an association of independent states that have historically been associated with the British Empire. Both Saint Kitts and Nevis (42,000 inhabitants) and Antigua and Bardura (93,000 inhabitants) have IOC-approved National Olympic Committees, with the same constitutional status as the Faroe Islands and Greenland. This means that athletes and teams from the two nations have been represented at the Olympics since 1976 and 1996, respectively. The two nations have approximately the same population as Greenland (57,000) and the Faroe Islands (55,000), but significantly fewerfederations in Olympic sports than the two transatlantic island kingdoms.

Faroe Islands or Denmark II for the 2028 or 2032 Olympics?

It is very difficult to understand the IOC’s motives and arguments for the lack of approval of independent Olympic committees in the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The IOC officially mentions different criteria: Independence, affiliation with international federations, independence, anti-doping, democratic structure and exclusivity in terms of one NOC per nation. In my opinion, there are economic interests that are not apparent from the official documents. Most NOCs and Olympic federations are completely dependent on financial support from the IOC. They therefore have an interest in maintaining more nations and sports outside the “Olympic family”.

The goal of qualifying for the 2027 World Handball Championships is certainly realistic for the Faroese men’s national handball team. Perhaps qualification for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles or the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane is more than a dream scenario for the proud nation. In my opinion, it would be another stain on the IOC if a possible Olympic participation were to take place under the name Denmark II and … not Føroya.

Sources:

• Itróttamband Føroya (ÍSF) – https://isf.fo/
• Grønlands Idrætsforbund (GIF) – Forside – Grønlands Idrætsforbund
• Hondbóltssamband Føroya – https://hsf.fo/
• International Olympic Committee – https://www.olympics.com/ioc
• Danmarks Olympisk Komité – https://www.dif.dk/om-dif/olympisk-komite

In the coming days, more than 6,000 Faroese will be in spectators stands in the Unity Arena in the Oslo suburb of Baerum, when the Faroe Islands play the three preliminary matches at the “Men’s EHF EURO 2026”. The opponents are Switzerland (16.1.), Montenegro (18.1.) and Slovenia (20.1.) – all opponents with greater results and more experience in international handball than the island kingdom in the middle of the Atlantic, which is only participating in its second European Championships. In my opinion, the Faroe Islands have a good chance of points against Montenegro, but Switzerland and Slovenia are immediately my favorites for the two places in the main round.

Handball – a very popular sport for children and young people in the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands, which consist of 18 islands of volcanic origin between Great Britain, Iceland and Norway, have been part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1814 with self-government in one of the world’s oldest parliaments: the Lagting. The population of the Faroe Islands is a modest 54,000 – the same number as many Danish municipalities. On the Faroese islands, handball – along with football – is the most popular and sometimes the only leisure activity among children and youth. There are currently 2,500 registered handball players in the Faroe Islands and the popularity of handball means that the relative proportion of children and youth is almost three times as large as in Denmark. In recent years, the Faroe Islands have achieved impressive results, especially the bronze medal at the U21 Men’s World Championships in 2025. The women’s national team’s success at the 2025 IHF World Championships, including the victory over Spain has created great respect and recognition in international handball.

Faroe Islands without independent membership of the IOC

The Hondbóltssamband Føroya (HSF), which was founded in 1980, has independent status with both the European Handball Federation (EHF) and the International Handball Federation (IHF). Since the mid-1980s, the Faroe Islands have – unfortunately so far – sought independent membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has rejected membership for the Faroe Islands for political reasons. The IOC has the same position on independent membership of Greenland. At present, three Faroese athletes have participated in the Olympics – representing Denmark – the swimmer Pál Joensen (2012) and the two rowers – Katrin Olsen (2012) and Sverri Nielsen (2020). In addition, it should be mentioned that Jóhan á Plógv Hansen, changed to Danish nationality and won silver medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The Faroe Islands will probably not appear as an independent nation at the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles either.

The Faroe Islands’ best players – also in the Bundesliga and at GOG

The Faroe Islands’ best player on the men’s national team is Elias Ellefsen Á Skipagötu, who is playing his third season for the major club THW Kiel in Germany. The 23-year-old dynamic full-back, who is among the top scorers and assists in the Bundesliga, has been injured leading up to the European Championship this year. It will be a huge loss to the team if he is not fit to play. Hákun West Av Teigum, who is a teammate with Mathias Gidsel and Lasse Andersson at the champion team Füchse Berlin, is also a key player for the Faroe Islands. The 23-year-old right winger has had great success at Füchse Berlin this season, where he has replaced the legend, Hans Lindberg. Among the best players should also be mentioned the 20-year-old Òli Mittún, cousin of Elias and R0i Ellefsen À Skipagötu, and younger brother of Pauli and Jana Mittún, all of whom are national team players. The talented playmaker, who was appointed as “Most Valuable Player” at the 2025 IHF U21 World Championship, now plays for GOG with success in both the Danish league and the Champions League.

National team players throughout the Nordic region

The Faroe Islands men’s league consists of 7 clubs, but several of the very best players choose to develop in Denmark as youth players. Both Elias Ellefsen Á Skipagötu and Hákun West Av Teigum have thus been affiliated with SHEA in Skanderborg, after which they have continued their careers in Sweden and Germany. Most national team players are affiliated with clubs in the best or second-best leagues in Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Iceland. There are currently more than 30 players from the Faroe Islands who are either full-time professionals or combine elite handball with studies or part-time work abroad. The Faroe Islands’ international success among the men’s youth national teams has already made many agents and several major clubs in the best European leagues look at the talents from the island kingdom in the Atlantic.

Resilience and identity are among the most important reasons

Peter Bredsdorff-Larsen, who has been head coach of the A-national team since the summer of 2021, points to several reasons for the unique talent development in Faroese handball. Firstly, the players are extremely resilience – not least mentally. They were raised in harsh nature and under sometimes extreme weather conditions, which place physical demands on endurance, courage and strength. Secondly, the players, who very often have family relationships with each other, place high demands on themselves and their teammates. The players thus know each other very well, both in good and bad situations. And thirdly, the national teams show great intensity and energy – regardless of whether the opponent is Denmark, Sweden, France or Germany, and regardless of whether the team is far ahead or behind.

Next goal is qualification for the 2027 IHF World Championship

Fighting spirit, courage and intensity will also be needed for the Faroe Islands, both at the upcoming EHF EURO 2026 and not least in relation to qualification for the 2027 IHF World Championship, which will be held in Germany. It is not realistic for the Faroe Islands to qualify directly for their first WC at the EHF EURO 2026, but the opportunity is there by the WC qualifiers in March and May 2026. It will be great for both the island kingdom’s players, coaches and spectators to be part of the WC in the arenas in Cologne, Kiel or Hannover in a year.

Sources:

• HSF – Hondbóltssamband Føroya – https://hsf.fo/
• EHF EURO 2026 – https://ehfeuro.eurohandball.com/men/2026/
• The 2027 IHF Men’s World Championship – https://www.ihf.info/media-center/news/six-venues-announced-2027-ihf-mens-world-championship

 

The 2025 IHF Women’s Handball World Championship final on Sunday ends the sport’s international championships in 2025. Denmark reached the quarterfinals, where France was clearly better than a Danish women’s national team that was hit by cancellations from several experienced players.

It is extremely difficult to compare sporting results, both nationally and internationally. This is primarily due to methodological challenges: How should international competitions – European and World Championships, World Cups, Grand Slam tournaments in tennis, Grand Tours in cycling or Formula 1 in motorsport – be compared? How should the weighting of medals of different carats (gold, silver and bronze) be in relation to top 6, top 8 or top 10 rankings? How should sports with many disciplines such as athletics, rowing, cycling and swimming be compared with sports with only one discipline such as handball and ice hockey. And how should sports with extreme capital and media interests such as football and golf be assessed in relation to sports such as synchronized swimming and mountain bike orienteering?

Both the Danish Institute for Sports and international analysis and research institutions, such as SPLISS, use World Championship medals and top 8 rankings in Olympic sports as the best indicators of sporting success or failure. In 2025, Danish athletes and teams won a total of 11 World Championship medals (2-1-8) and achieved 113 top 8 ranking points in Olympic sports, which is at the same level as in the last two Olympiads (2017-2020: 9 medals and 118 top 8 ranking points – 2021-2024: 10 medals and 116 top 8 ranking points).

Cycling – back on the medal track after disappointing 2024 Olympics

In my opinion, the best Danish sporting achievements in 2025 were achieved in cycling, handball, sailing and equestrian. Cycling has achieved impressive results on both road, BMX and track after a very disappointing 2024 Olympics, with the 4 km team’s World Championship gold as the highlight. Also, World Championship bronze medals for Amalie Didriksen in omnium and Lasse Norman Leth and Niklas Larsen in Madison, Magnus Dyhre’s 6th place in BMX at the World Championships and Mattias Skjelmose’s 4th place at the World Championships in Rwanda should create great optimism towards the 2028 Olympics. Finally, Mads Pedersen’s top finishes in the classics Tour of Flanders (no. 2), Paris-Roubaix (no. 3) and Gent-Wevelgem (no. 1), and the victory of Jonas Vingegaards in Vuelta a Espanâ and second place in the Tour de France should also be mentioned among cycling’s successes in 2025. Cycling is the sport that has won by far the most Olympic and World Championship medals, top 8 ranking points and many victories in Grand Tours and classic races over the past decade.

Five top 8 rankings at the World Championships – the highest number for sailing in two decades

Anne-Marie Rindom, who won Olympic silver in 2024, has been the “trump card” in Danish sailing for the past decade, but fortunately, new Olympic sailors and a single “comeback kid” showed surprisingly good World Championships results in 2025. 46-year-old Jonas Warrer, who won Olympic gold in Beijing 2008, and his new partner – Mathias Sletten – won WC bronze medals, while Anna Munch was No. 4 in ILCA. In addition, three crews achieved top 8 rankings at the World Championships in 49s FX and 49s. Five World Championships top 8 rankings are the highest number for Danish sailing in two decades, which promises well for Olympic results in Los Angeles.

Historical record of the men’s handball team with four WC gold medals in a row

In my opinion, the most superb sporting performance of the year in 2025 was delivered by the men’s handball team, who were not seriously pressured in one of the 9 matches of the World Championship tournament. Denmark thus made history with four WC titles in a row (2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025) and thus caught up with France with 13 WC medals (6-2-5) and Sweden with 12 WC medals (4-4-4). The number of Danish world-class players has never been greater than today, so there is nothing to indicate that the rain of medals for the men’s handball team will stop in the coming years.

Three European Championship medals in dressage

In recent years, Denmark has also achieved top international results in dressage, including team gold at the World Championships in 2022. At the FEI 2025 European Dressage Championships, Danish equipages also showed high class in a sport that is completely dominated by European nations. The team won European Championship bronze, while Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour came very close to winning gold medal in the two individual disciplines (special and freestyle).

Very disappointing performances in football

In my opinion, the biggest sporting disappointments of the year in Danish elite sports have been the national football team, both the women’s and especially the men’s. The women’s national team lost all three preliminary matches at the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, while the men’s team (no. 21 – World Ranking) failed to qualify directly for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a draw against Belarus (no. 99 – WR) at home and a 2-4 defeat against Scotland (no. 36 – WR). However, Denmark still has the opportunity to qualify for the final round in the USA, Mexico and Canada if they manage to defeat North Macedonia (no. 65 – WR), Ireland (no. 59 – WR) or the Czech Republic (no. 44 – WR) in March 2026. Next summer’s World Cup 2026 will include 48 nations for the first time – if Denmark does not qualify, it will be a gigantic failure.

The biggest positive surprise of the year: Victory over the world’s strongest ice hockey nation

Let’s end with the biggest positive surprise in Danish elite sports: Denmark’s impressive World Championship semi-final in ice hockey. The WC tournament on home ground was a fantastic success, both on the ice and around the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning. Victories over Kazakhstan, Hungary, Norway and Germany gave them a ticket to the quarterfinals against the world’s most winning ice hockey nation: Canada. 12,000 spectators – all in red and white – created a euphoric atmosphere and Denmark sensationally beat the favorites from Canada 2-1. The strength had run out and Denmark had no chance, both against Switzerland in the semi-final and Sweden in the bronze medal match. I look forward to following Denmark in two months at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, where Denmark will meet the USA, Germany and Latvia in the preliminary round.

I hereby wish everyone in Danish and international elite sports a very good new (sports) year and thank you for many good experiences in 2025.

Sources:

• Danish Institute for Sports Studies – Analyser af dansk eliteidræt
• Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Succes (SPLISS) – https://spliss.research.vub.be/about-spliss

Talent is a complex and nuanced phenomenon. Genetics, skills, learning ability, commitment, persistence, social relationships and environment are just a few of the many characteristics of talent – ​​regardless of whether the talent’s domain is language, mathematics, music, graffiti or sports. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to identifying and developing talent in sports, not even specifically in individual sports. This is because the many characteristics are dynamic and differentiated. There is thus a significant difference between identifying and developing talent in individual sports such as shooting, wrestling and swimming compared to team sports such as football, ice hockey and rhythmic gymnastics. Differences in culture, values, rules, attitudes and behaviour in the individual sports are far greater than the similarities. It will therefore be very individual which sports match the personality and motivation of the individual child or youth.

International research within football has shown that identifying talent, i.e. child and youth players with the potential to reach the highest national level as senior players, is neither appropriate nor possible before players reach the age of 14-15. However, the practice is that – also in Danish sports – too many “talents” are identified and selected far too early, often as early as the age of 8-9. This trend, which is not only pronounced in Danish football culture, is undoubtedly one of the main reasons for significant dropouts in the oldest youth cohorts within many sports.

There is solid research and a lot of practical experience today, both in Denmark and internationally, about talent development. In my opinion, there are three factors that are of particular importance in terms of developing a strong and sustainable talent environment for the age of 16-20.

Good training quality is crucial

Firstly, talents must experience good quality in the individual training sessions. Likewise, there must be a “common thread” in the training, both in terms of content (training exercises) and progression (development). The training must therefore be adapted to the youth’s age and stage of development, both physically, technically, tactically, mentally and socially. Both the amount and intensity of training must be gradually increased based on a number of physical and cognitive parameters. Many talent coaches use principles, methods and content from age-related training concepts (ATK), which are described and communicated in most sports. In addition, it is essential that talents learn methods and tools for their own learning. Sports can have a major influence on the development of young people’s responsibility, independence and creativity. A prerequisite for this to succeed is that the coach can and will let go of one-way communication, strict management and fixed frameworks. This type of management requires professionally skilled coaches. The clubs and federations must therefore pay close attention to recruiting and training competent talent coaches. In addition, the clubs and federations should draw up a development plan for the individual talent coach and would be happy to supplement this with a mentoring programme, where the talent coach can seek advice and guidance from one or more experienced senior coaches. In other words, professionally competent coaches are key figures in relation to the development of young talents, both in terms of sport, human and social aspects.

Talent coaches must be attentive, empathetic and demanding

Secondly, the association’s talent work must be run by several people with good human qualities and not by a single fiery soul who handles almost all tasks. Both talent coaches and youth leaders must be very aware that during the course of a season there are often ups and downs, both for the individual and for the entire team. Many youth today are very vulnerable and fragile, which means that youth coaches and leaders must be aware of problems and challenges that are not necessarily linked to the sport, the team or the association to a much greater extent than before. The leaders must therefore possess qualities such as empathy and flexibility, but also set frameworks for and demands on both the individual and the team in relation to values, norms and behaviour. For many youth, the reasons for droping out of sports can be due to circumstances that are related to, for example, family, boyfriends, school and education and not necessarily to friends, coaches or leaders in the club. All experience shows that strong and sustainable talent environments are often driven by strong and charismatic individuals who are very passionate about their sport. In addition, strong and sustainable talent environments are characterized by stability in leadership (coaches and managers), concrete objectives and realistic action plans as management tools.

Focus on both development and results

Thirdly, a well-functioning talent environment must focus on both development and results, which are not opposites. Talent is best developed by training with and competing against others who are more skilled than oneself. It is also important that talents learn to both win and lose, so that the transition from the oldest youth ranks to the senior team does not become too drastic. There is a distinct tendency these years that many coaches, both talent and elite coaches at senior level, focus more on process and performance than on product and results. The talent coach must organize the long-term development of the individual and the team, but the coach must also be aware that mental strength is better built through successful experiences and victories than through frustrations and defeats. The talent coach must also accept that the bottom level of many talents in matches and at competitions can sometimes be surprisingly low. It is therefore about creating greater stability and less fluctuation in the talent’s performance in order to achieve better results.

One of the biggest challenges for many young people today – including the greatest talents – is making independent decisions and choices, which is essential in all sports. It is necessary to learn to take responsibility for oneself and one’s teammates both on and off the sports arena – only in this way can talents realize their potential.

Sources:

• Adam Kelly (ed.): Talent Identification and Development in Youth Soccer. A Guide for Researchers and Pactitioners (Routledge, 2024).
• Joseph Baker, Stephen Cobley, and Jörg Schorer; Talent Identification and Development in Sport. International Perspectives (Routledge, 2020)
• Kristoffer Henriksen, Carsten Hvid Larsen, and Louise Kamuk Storm: All you need to know about talent development in sport (Athlete Insight Press, 2024).

One of the most well-documented sources for understanding and explaining the development of international sport in recent decades is the book “Autocracy Inc. – The Dictators Who Want to Run the World”, which was published last summer. The book, written by internationally renowned historian and political commentator Anne Applebaum, describes two frightening trends: the increasing dominance of autocracies in the world order and the autocracies’ contempt for and hatred of core democratic values ​​such as freedom of speech and assembly, the separation of legislative, executive and judicial institutions, and democratic control through free elections for all citizens.

Autocracies use sports as a tool for domestic and foreign policy

Autocracy is a form of government in which power is concentrated in one dictatorial leader or groups of leaders who are backed by powerful networks. The networks consist of advanced economic systems, security services such as the military, paramilitary groups and police, and technological experts in surveillance, propaganda and disinformation. It is obvious that great powers such as China and Russia have these characteristics, but also countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Hungary and Rwanda are modern autocracies, characterized by corruption and the persecution of political opponents who want democracy. It is equally obvious that autocracies are increasingly consciously, strategically and systematically using sports as a tool for domestic and foreign policy.

Modern autocracies are not governed by ideology, but by self-interest and profit maximization. Globalization has meant that autocracies, often with state-controlled companies as “ambassadors”, are part of economic networks both with other autocracies and, not least, with commercial partners in Western democracies, multinational investment funds and global tech and media companies.

Almost ¾ of the world’s population lives in autocracies

It is estimated that among the world’s more than 200 countries, there are almost equal numbers of democracies and autocracies, and that 71 percent of the world’s population lives in autocracies – a proportion that has increased from 48 percent in 2013. The anti-democratic currents are a global challenge, which is particularly pronounced in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. More autocracies and fewer democracies among the world’s countries have a great influence on international sports organizations. The vast majority of international federations’ general assemblies are based on each member country having one vote, regardless of how many athletes the country has, and each vote counts equally. This means that autocracies – countries where principles of transparency, open dialogue, human rights and democratic control are either limited or completely absent – ​​are gaining greater and greater influence on the crucial decisions of international federations. This applies, for example, to the composition of the political leadership of the federations and the allocation of hosting international championships.

It is noteworthy that the world’s two biggest sporting events – the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup in football – have in recent decades mainly been held in autocracies: the 2008 Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in football in Russia, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in football and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil and most recently the 2022 FIFA World Cup in football in Qatar.

Is the US on the way to dismantling democracy?

The geopolitical role of the US in the world has changed radically with the election of Donald Trump as president, just as American democracy is seriously threatened by Trump’s countless decrees and orders, which are often in direct conflict with the US Constitution. Trump’s failure to recognize court decisions, violation of migrants’ rights and persecution of political opponents are also weakening democracy in the US. It is well known that the US president has been extremely passionate and financially involved in sports for a number of years. There is also no doubt that Trump will largely use both the 2026 FIFA World Cup in football and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles as a domestic and foreign policy platform for personal profiling. This was emphasized by several speakers at Play the Game 2025, which was recently held in Finland.

The notion of sport’s autonomy is becoming more and more tragicomic

Over the past few decades, international sport has been challenged by a number of serious threats to the integrity and credibility of sport: doping, match-fixing, illegal gambling, corruption and the absence of good governance, to name just a few. At the same time, international sports organizations such as the IOC, FIFA and WADA have tried, with varying degrees of success, to maintain sport as an autonomous sector without interference from states and private companies. With the rapid rise of autocracies at the expense of democracies, the challenges facing sport seem only to increase in the coming years, just as the notion of sport’s autonomy is becoming more and more tragicomic.

Sources:

Anne Applebaum: Autocracy Inc. – The Dictators Who Want to Run the World (Allen Lane, 2024)

Democracy Winning and Losing at the Ballot – Democracy Report 2024 (V-Dem, University of Gothenburg, Sweden).

Steve Menyra: Sportswashing turns inward as the US faces criticism ahead of major global events (Play the Game 2025 – 6.10.2025) – Sportswashing turns inward as the US faces criticism ahead of major global events