Skip to content

MuggleNet

  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • News / Quadball

Ciao, Italia! Quidditch World Cup Heads to Florence!

by Megan Fischer · November 1, 2017

Quidditch fans, gather ’round! The International Quidditch Association has announced that it’s headed to Italy for the 2018 Quidditch World Cup!

Florence, Italy, will be the host city, with the Cup lasting from June 27, 2018, until July 2, 2018. Thirty-one teams are expected to compete, which makes this World Cup the largest in quidditch history! Over 500 players will participate in the tournament. One of the lucky teams selected to compete is Iceland, who will be attending for the first time! Til hamingju, Ísland!

The IQA is partnering with the Human Company, which expressed its excitement for the tournament.

We are delighted with the IQA decision to award us the next Quidditch World Cup: we worked with conviction and determination on the candidacy bid on behalf of our Group and the City of Florence, not least because we are confident that events of such importance offer excellent development opportunities for our territory. Our holiday park in Florence will become an extraordinary home for enthusiasts of this discipline inspired [by] the unique world of Harry Potter.

With a city as cultural and artistic as Florence, fans and athletes alike can’t wait to experience not only the tournament but also the city itself! Andrea Miglietta, the president of Associazione Italiana Quidditch, raved about the tournament and how the community is coming together to create an unforgettable experience for everyone.

We are excited to host the biggest IQA tournament ever made. This is a huge opportunity for us to improve our organization[al] abilities and increase quidditch development [in] our country. With the great support of [the] City of Florence and [the] Human Company we [are sure] to make this IQA Quidditch World Cup into the most beautiful quidditch experience for player[s] and spectators.

See below for a complete list of nations that are expected to attend.

Mark your calendars! June 27–July 2, 2018, is bound to be a remarkable five days that no one will forget!

Press Release

EMBARGO: 9:30AM CET, 1 NOVEMBER 2017

Quidditch World Cup to be hosted by Florence

Florence will host the IQA World Cup, set to take place between June 27 – July 2 2018.

With 31 nations expected to attend, this will be the biggest tournament in quidditch history.

Inspired by the Harry Potter books, quidditch has developed beyond the books and has become an independent and competitive sport played globally.

FLORENCE, 1 November: The International Quidditch Association (IQA) today announced that they have selected the City of Florence to host the IQA World Cup, working in conjunction with Human Company. National quidditch teams from around the world, from the UK and Denmark to the USA and 2016 World Champions Australia, will fly to Florence to compete to be crowned international champions of the sport.

With 31 nations planning to attend the tournament, Florence is expected to host the largest tournament in quidditch history, with an expected five hundred players coming to the city to compete and play. This will follow on from the IQA World Cup in Frankfurt in 2016, where Australia defeated the USA in the finals.

Marco Galletti, CEO of Human Company: "We are delighted with the IQA decision to award us the next Quidditch World Cup: we worked with conviction and determination on the candidacy bid on behalf of our Group and the City of Florence, not least because we are confident that events of such importance offer excellent development opportunities for our territory. Our holiday park in Florence will become an extraordinary home for enthusiasts of this discipline inspired on the unique world of Harry Potter."

After a competitive bidding process which involved the USA, UK, France, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium, Italy was chosen as the most suitable country for 2018. With a high-quality venue, great support from the City of Florence, and a detailed plan by Human Company, the IQA will collaborate closely with the organisations to ensure the success of the international tournament.

As a center of history, culture and art, Florence is set to support athletes and participants, with the support of the City aiding the stay of the nations attending. To coincide with the competition, the Cultural Department of the City of Florence will be organising lectures and special side events in the main historical libraries and other places of cultural interest in town, for all age groups.

Andrea Vannucci, City of Florence Executive for Sports, Popular culture, Youth policies and Toponomy: "A grand event that will launch our city into a fantasy world. The most famous sport inspired by the magical world of Harry Potter offers a great occasion to host thousands of Quidditch fans in Florence.”

Andrea Miglietta, President of Associazione Italiana Quidditch: “We are excited to host the biggest IQA tournament ever made. This is a huge opportunity for us to improve our organization abilities and increase quidditch development on our country. With the great support of City of Florence and Human Company we ensure to make this IQA Quidditch World Cup into the most beautiful quidditch experience for player and spectators.”

Quidditch was adapted from the Harry Potter novels almost twelve years ago in the US. It combines elements of rugby and dodgeball to create a fast paced, full contact, mixed gender sport. It has proved to be a popular game for athletes and Potter enthusiasts alike and has grown enormously in the past few years. There are now teams on every continent as well as many countries hosting annual club championships for their top teams. To compete, teams must have a mix of genders on pitch at all times. The sport aims to be as inclusive as possible and to encourage more women in sport and increase awareness of non-binary genders.

Nicholas Oughtibridge, Chair of the IQA board of trustees: “I am delighted that the enchanting City of Florence has offered to host the 2018 IQA Quidditch World Cup in partnership with the IQA and Human Company. Florence has led European culture, challenged norms and inspires a better future. The city a natural host for our mixed gender contact sport.”

Nations Competing in IQA World Cup 2018

Europe:

Austria

Belgium

Catalonia (Spain)

France

Germany

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom

Americas:

Argentina

Brazil

Canada

Chile

Mexico

Peru

United States

Asia and Oceania:

Australia - 2016 Champions

Indonesia

Malaysia

New Zealand

South Korea

Vietnam

Africa:

Uganda

Social:

  • Next story Hippolytus… Lestrange?
  • Previous story On This Day in “Potter” History, Everything Went Wrong

MuggleNet Archive

Important Dates

May 2025

Mon, May 12

Domhnall Gleeson's birthday
Recurs yearly

Bill Weasley (DH1, DH2)

Tue, May 13

Robert Pattinson's birthday
Recurs yearly

Cedric Diggory

Samantha Morton's birthday
Recurs yearly

Mary Lou Barebone

Zoë Wanamaker's birthday
Recurs yearly

Madam Hooch

Thu, May 15

Pomona Sprout's birthday
Recurs yearly

Fri, May 16

Stanislav Yanevski's birthday
Recurs yearly

Viktor Krum

Sun, May 18

Miriam Margolyes's birthday
Recurs yearly

Pomona Sprout

MuggleNet podcasts are sponsored in part by Secretlab.

Thanks to its research-backed ergonomic design, including a proprietary 4-way adaptive lumbar support system, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Harry Potter Edition will comfortably support you even when you’re up to no good.

Did You Know

Magic makes electronics go haywire, so Muggle devices don’t work at or near Hogwarts.

Potter History

August 8, 2012 – The Harry Potter series is voted the best ever teen fiction book series in a poll on NPR.

Potter Quote

“Sir, I wondered what you know about . . . about Horcruxes?”

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fansite.
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns.
© 1999–2025 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Terms of Use | Feedback


MuggleNet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Bookshop.org's affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and bookshop.org.