Nati plays in front of empty stands: frustration of fans at the World Floorball Championship

No, says Flurina Marti (32). The woman from Graubünden must know. She made 110 appearances for the Swiss national team before leaving her playing career for the position of head of the national team last year. “We are a little disappointed with how few people are watching the games on site.” It is especially painful when Marti thinks back to the last Men’s Floorball World Championship in Switzerland. The national team played regularly at the Swiss Life Arena in front of more than 10,000 fans. Now mainly friends and relatives of the players have made the long journey to support the national team in the Far East.

Singapore did not seize the opportunity

In short, it is a good thing not to hold the World Cup in Europe. ‘So that the same countries do not always have to make the long journeys.’ Everything is also perfectly arranged. But the organizers passed up the opportunity to introduce floorball in Asia. While school classes in Switzerland are always invited to the World Cup matches, in Singapore there are hardly any children. “Apparently it is currently a school holiday here and so no school classes are coming to the games,” says the former Nati captain.

The tournament continues on Friday for Switzerland. Slovakia awaits in the quarter-finals. “We must aim to reach the semi-finals,” says Flurina Marti. Until then, players pass the time with trips to the rainforest or sightseeing. And they experience the exoticism of Singapore up close: for example, when they encounter a horde of aggressive monkeys in the hotel garden or have an appointment with a snake by the pool. Whether that can compensate for the lack of fans remains to be seen.