Background

On this page you'll find all of the background information about the Swamp Soccer World Championships, Team England and our supporters Loughborough Students Athletic Union.


Swamp Soccer World Championships

Last year the Swamp Soccer World Championships became the biggest soccer championships in the world with 264 teams competing from nations across the globe. The Swamp Soccer Arena complex in Hyrynsalmi, northern Finland, hosts the annual event with 15 swamp arenas (all varying in depths!). Besides the extremely tough competitive swamp soccer games there is also a swamp skiing shows and live music on throughout the competition.

In 1998, the very first Championships took place since then it has grown so much that the Finnish FA are involved with running the championships, the event being covered throughout the media on a global scale.

For more information check out the Swamp Soccer website at: www.swampsoccer.net


Team England   

In the summer of 2002 former MyPa (Finnish Premier League club) player Jouni Ronkainen visited the championships. There were many teams from across the globe but not the nation that had invented the game of football, England. Since then Jouni teamed up with freelance journalist and local football coach Peter Simmons to put that right!

Team England were formed in 2003 with players based at Loughborough University but with a range of experience throughout the professional and amateur game. The team have started to build up their profile in the media and hope to bring home the first major football trophy to England since 1966!


Loughborough Students Athletic Union

LSAU have given their full backing to Team England after a meeting with Athletics Union President Stel Grekos. Loughborough University and its Athletic Union has a large worldwide reputation for sporting excellence. For the last 25 years LSAU have won the British Universities Sports Association Championships at a stroll. In fact England's last World Cup winner, Rugby Union Manager Clive Woodward even captained Loughborough's Rugby Union first team during that period!

Visit the Loughborough Students Union website for more information at: www.lufbra.net