Wavre prepares to host Hockey World Cup with 110,000 visitors expected

The city of Wavre, Belgium, is preparing to host the Hockey World Cup, an event expected to draw approximately 110,000 visitors over a two-week period. The tournament will utilize a newly constructed stadium, built at a cost of 10.9 million euros, which serves as a center of excellence for Wallonie-Bruxelles Hockey.

Local authorities are managing significant logistical changes to accommodate up to 10,000 spectators per day. These measures include street closures, modified traffic patterns, and the establishment of overflow parking areas in Wavre Nord and Louvain-la-Neuve. To mitigate the impact on residents and engage the broader community, the city has planned various festivities, including concerts and sports initiations in the town center.

The event features the Belgian national teams, the Red Lions and the Red Panthers. Media coverage is expected to be extensive, with hundreds of media requests and approximately 3,000 volunteers supporting the competition.