Fler på läktaren – The 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship as a Testing Ground for More Inclusive Events
In connection with the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm, the City of Stockholm worked with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association and Parasport Stockholm on the "Fler på läktaren" project (Swedish: More People in the Stands). The initiative used the championship as a testing ground to identify barriers and develop concrete solutions that make it easier for people with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions to experience sporting events in person. The result was tools, insights, and methods that can help build a more inclusive event culture — long after the World Championship ended.
From a seat in the stands to a sense of belonging
When the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship was held in Stockholm, the championship became more than games on the ice. Through the Fler på läktaren project, the City of Stockholm worked with the Swedish Ice Hockey Association and Parasport Stockholm to make sporting events more accessible for people with disabilities and neurodivergent conditions. The project ran from December 2024 to June 2025 and used the Ice Hockey World Championship as a testing ground to examine what barriers exist — and what solutions are needed — so that more people can experience major sporting events in person.
Accessibility throughout the entire event
The starting point was simple: hockey should be for more people. To achieve that, accessibility needs to be a natural part of the entire event — from planning and communication to hospitality, the arena environment, and implementation. Within the project, the partners therefore worked to develop knowledge and practical tools that can help organizers create safer, clearer, and more welcoming event environments.
Tools that make a difference
An important part of the work was training volunteers and staff, as well as developing methodology materials for making events more accessible. Through dialogue with the target group, on-site experience, and testing in connection with the World Championship, the project gathered insights that can also be used at future sports and cultural events.
When the World Championship became a platform for development
The connection to the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship gave the project extra momentum. A major international championship brings together spectators, organizations, volunteers, and partners — making it a strong platform for testing new approaches in a real event environment. Through Fler på läktaren, the City of Stockholm and its partners were able to show how a championship can create value beyond the competition itself by contributing to more equal opportunities to take part in live audience experiences.
A long-term legacy for future events
For the City of Stockholm, Fler på läktaren is an example of how major sporting events can be used to drive social development. When accessibility and inclusion are built into events from the start, more people can feel welcome, safe, and included. In this way, the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship becomes more than a memory from the stands — it also becomes part of long-term efforts to make Stockholm a more open, inclusive, and accessible event city.
Want to know more?
Read about "Fler på läktaren" at The Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s website