History of the IFBA

The beginnings of an international federation

The origins of the International Federation of Broomball Associations (IFBA) date back to 1988 and a memorable visit by an Australian broomball team touring Canada and playing games in communities across the country.

During their visit, members of the team stayed at the home of Rick Przybysz — camping, quite literally, on his front lawn.

That informal gathering sparked discussions about the future of broomball on the international stage. Among the ideas discussed was the ambitious possibility of one day seeing broomball included in the Winter Olympic Games.

Those early conversations provided the inspiration and momentum for what would become the International Federation of Broomball Associations.

The first international competition

Planning for an international broomball program began in Canada in 1988, leading to the inaugural Challenge Cup World Broomball Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1991.

The first event brought together approximately 800 athletes competing on 44 Men’s, Women’s and Coed teams. Participating countries included Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

The success of the inaugural Challenge Cup demonstrated the growing international appeal of broomball and provided a strong foundation for future international competition.

Victoria once again hosted the event in 1996, further strengthening the relationships among participating countries and building momentum toward the creation of a formal international governing body.

The official formation of the IFBA

The third Challenge Cup was hosted by the Italian Broomball Association in 1998.

It was during this period that the International Federation of Broomball Associations was formally established, with a Constitution and Bylaws adopted to provide a common governance structure for its member associations.

Rick Przybysz, who had been instrumental in the Federation’s development from its earliest days, became its first President and continued in that role until 2014.

Fittingly, the IFBA’s first Secretary General was Australian, reflecting the international partnership that had helped inspire the organization from the very beginning.

The growth of the World Broomball Championships

Following the success of the early Challenge Cups, the World Broomball Championships developed into a biennial international event.

The Championships returned to Victoria, Canada, in 2000, followed by Minneapolis, United States, in 2002 and Corner Brook, Canada, in 2004.

What began with an informal gathering of broomball players in 1988 had grown into an international organization bringing together athletes, coaches, officials and associations from around the world — establishing the foundation for the continued growth of broomball on the global stage.