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Photo credit: www.iihf.com

It is the second time that Slovakia is hosting the World Championship in Ice hockey as an independent country. The host cities are Bratislava and Košice. From May 10 – 26 the hockey madness will be housed in the official venue of the Ice Hockey World Championship 2019 – the Ondrej Nepela Arena (former names – the Samsung Arena, ST Arena, T-Com Arena), the oldest ice hockey hall in Slovakia. This oldest sprinkled ice arena in Bratislava started operating back in 1871 with only 300 seats. In 1940 the first official ice hockey meeting was held there. And  in 1948 and 1949 the ice rink hosted the European Figure Skating Championships and more than 4,000 seats were added. Since the popularity of such sport events gets higher year after year, the seat capacity until today grew to 10.000.

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If the number of seats is still too small, the eager fans can experience the hockey atmosphere also in the fanzone, located on the Trnavské Mýto Square infront of Istropolis, which is in the walking distance from the Ondrej Nepala Arena. The fanzone is opened for everyone free of entry fee, not just for those who bought the match tickets. The enthusiasts can enjoy the matches on large screens, with accompanying fun activities and refreshments.

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The mascot of the 2019 Ice Hockey World Championship is Macejko – the hockey playing bear dressed in a traditional shepherd’s hat and belt. The bear got it’s name with the help of almost half a million fans, who voted via internet platforms. The creator of the name for the mascot is Matej Drinka of Borský Svätý Mikuláš, who participated in the competition announced in mid-August.

macejko
Photo credit: www.iihf.com

Do not forget to explore Bratislava

When your hockey match of the day is over, go on an exploration of Bratislava – the city is full of surprises, little corners, inspiring stories, historical buildings, museums, galleries, charming cafes and stores for affordable shopping.

If you crave for more events do not forget to download the Eventland App, where you can find up-to-date schedules of concerts, cultural exhibitions, festivals, flea markets, sports events or parties. All the happenings, events in the city in one place and in the English language.

For a healthy discovering of the city rent a bike at one of the 70 stations around the city, where over 550 bicycles are at public disposal.

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