Finland’s 5-4 shootout defeat to Switzerland at the Swedish Hockey Games in Ängelholm, one of the final warm-up tournaments before the World Championship, drew an announced crowd of just 447 spectators at the 6,310-capacity Catena Arena. Even that figure appeared generous, as vast sections of the arena sat empty and the actual attendance looked considerably lower.
The lack of interest was striking given the calibre of players involved. Finland iced Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell, while Switzerland’s line-up featured Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Roman Josi -- established NHL stars rather than fringe internationals.
A few hours later, Sweden’s meeting with Czechia attracted 5,127 fans to the same venue. The atmosphere improved markedly, but more than a thousand seats still went unsold.
The contrast with recent tournaments elsewhere in Europe is stark. At the Czech-hosted event in České Budějovice, the lowest attendance (Sweden v Finland) still drew 2,697 spectators despite the absence of marquee NHL names such as Barkov or Josi. Switzerland’s own pre-Worlds tournament fared even better, with the smallest crowd topping 5,000.
For seasoned observers of international hockey, though, Sweden’s underwhelming turnout may not come as a complete surprise.
During the 2025 World Championship, co-hosted by Sweden and Denmark, home support proved heavily dependent on the host nation playing. Sweden’s matches sold out comfortably, but games involving other countries often attracted sparse crowds. Attendances of around 3,000 were common, with travelling supporters accounting for much of the atmosphere.
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That indifference to international hockey sits awkwardly alongside Sweden’s thriving domestic game. The Swedish Hockey League remains one of Europe’s best-supported competitions, averaging more than 7,000 spectators per match, among the continent’s highest figures and comfortably ahead of the Czech Extraliga.
Why the disconnect exists is harder to explain, but fatigue may be one factor. The club season has only just concluded and the calendar has been crowded, particularly following the Winter Olympics in Milan. Another possibility is growing apathy towards the Euro Hockey Tour itself, a competition many supporters increasingly view as repetitive and lacking stakes.
Whatever the explanation, the scene in Ängelholm made for uncomfortable viewing. For players accustomed to packed NHL arenas, skating out before banks of empty seats must have come as a shock.
Once the World Championship begins, however, Swiss crowds in particular are expected to provide the kind of atmosphere this tournament has conspicuously lacked.