2027 ‘Elite’ UWH World Championships: Back in France after 30 years

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A first since 1994: France will soon host the 2027 « Elite » Underwater Hockey World Championships. While this is excellent news for the country, it hides an internal divide: the potential removal of the Master category, which is now threatened with being separated from the main event.

Nearly thirty years later, France is set to host this major event once again. The last time was in 1994 in Grand-Couronne. During that edition, Australia triumphed in both Elite categories (Women and Men). South Africa successfully reached the second step of the podium twice, followed by the United Kingdom in Elite Women and New Zealand in Elite Men.

For this new edition, the venue has already been identified: the city of Clermont-Ferrand has given an « agreement in principle » to use its pool. The event is expected to be massive, with 45 Elite teams from 15 to 20 nations competing over ten days (April 13 to 23, 2027). The estimated budget is between €250,000 and €300,000. To ensure the competition runs smoothly, the organizers are planning to mobilize around one hundred volunteers.

Key upcoming dates:

• January 17-18: Patrick Kraak (CMAS – Head of Events Working Group) is expected in Clermont to inspect the facilities during Stage 3 of the « More Sport » Open League.
• February: A highly anticipated meeting between Olivier Bianchi (Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand) and Frédéric Di Meglio (President of the FFESSM).
• April 2026: For the first time in history, the CMAS General Assembly is expected to be held in France, in Bordeaux.

However, the organization is facing a major obstacle: the potential « divorce » between the Master and Elite categories.

Elite and Masters: The end of a shared journey?

World governing bodies (CMAS) are currently debating whether the two categories should be separated. From a purely sporting perspective, the idea is interesting as it would allow more space for « smaller nations » to qualify for the Elite World Championships. This proposal was supported by a public survey, showing that a large majority of respondents favor the idea.

But looking closer, choosing to separate Elites and Masters runs the risk of significantly weakening interest in the Master World Championships. If the Master event were to be held in Singapore in 2027, as suggested, there is a potential risk of low registration numbers. This could lead to a discouraging failure for some nations.

Within the French organizing committee (Carole Gillet, Hélène Fauqueux, Andrew Hazell, Clément Grandamas, Cécile Roussel, Sébastien Dotte, Frantz Klein, Karine Paulin), this situation is a cause for concern. Yohan Castella has already left the committee, as the Masters are on the verge of being moved to their own independent championship, away from the Elite spotlight.

The ‘agreement in principle’ from the city of Clermont is only the start of a long marathon after three decades of waiting to finally see the world of hockey return to our shores