2024 Touch World Cup: A Global Celebration of Sport

2024 Touch World Cup: A Spectacular Global Showcase of Touch Football

The 2024 Touch World Cup, held at the University of Nottingham in July, marked a milestone in the

global evolution of Touch Football. Bringing together 4,000 players from 39 nations, the event was

not just a tournament but a celebration of the sport's growth and its increasing international appeal.

Event Highlights

Dates and Venue:

The world’s best Touch Football teams converged on Nottingham, utilizing the Highfields Sports

Complex and Riverside Sports Complex, both of which have a proud history of hosting international

Touch tournaments.

Participants:

This year’s event set a new record with 187 teams competing across 13 categories in both Open and

Senior divisions. The tournament saw 1,100 matches played, highlighting the intense competition,

and showcasing the global nature of the sport.

Economic Impact:

Beyond the action on the field, the event brought an estimated £10 million boost to the Nottingham

community, reinforcing the positive economic impact of hosting such a prestigious event.

Opening Ceremony

The tournament kicked off with a grand opening ceremony, hosted by Veronica Pickering, the King's

Representative and Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. The ceremony was attended by prominent

figures from the University of Nottingham, Visit Nottingham/Nottinghamshire, and Nottingham

Conferences, adding a touch of local significance to this international event.

Record Participation and Global Representation

The 2024 Touch World Cup saw remarkable participation from some of the sport’s powerhouses,

including Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Fiji, France, the USA, and Wales. Notably,

the tournament witnessed an increase in female participation, which reached 31%, bolstered by the

introduction of a new Women’s 40’s division. A total of 193 referees from 19 countries ensured the

games were conducted at the highest standards, further underlining the global representation at

this event.

Championship Results

Australia Dominates the Competition:

Australia emerged as the overall World Cup Champions, securing victory in all three Open divisions,

and dominating eight out of the nine Senior divisions.

 Women’s Open: Australia triumphed over New Zealand in the final, winning 6-2, while

England secured the Bronze by defeating Japan 5-2.

 Men’s Open: Australia claimed victory with a 9-6 win over New Zealand, and Lebanon took

home the Bronze after beating the Cook Islands 10-8.

 Mixed Open: In a closely contested final, Australia edged out New Zealand 8-7, with England

taking Bronze after an 11-7 win over the Philippines.

In the Senior divisions, Australia continued its dominance:

 Men’s 30s: Australia won against New Zealand 5-4, with England securing Bronze by

defeating France 7-6.

 Women’s 27s: Australia regained its title from New Zealand, winning 7-1 against England.

South Africa took Bronze with a 6-4 victory over the USA.

 Mixed 30s: Australia edged New Zealand 10-9 in the final, with England defeating Germany

8-6 for Bronze.

 Men’s 35s: Australia secured a decisive 16-3 win over New Zealand, while South Africa

claimed Bronze against England 6-5.

 Women’s 35s: Australia dominated England 10-2 in the final, with South Africa taking Bronze

over Wales 6-1.

 Men’s 40s: New Zealand claimed the title with a 4-3 victory over Australia. Japan help out

France to take the bronze 6 -5.

 Women’s 40s: The inaugural title went to Australia, who defeated New Zealand 4-1, while

England secured bronze by beating Scotland 10-0.

 Men’s 45s: Australia won a high-scoring final against New Zealand 13-7, with France taking

bronze over Switzerland 8-4.

 Men’s 50s: Australia triumphed 8-2 over New Zealand, with England winning bronze against

the USA 5-4.

 Men’s 55s: Australia won a hard-fought final against New Zealand 6-4.

All the results are available at https://www.internationaltouch.org/events/world-cup/2024/

Reflecting on the 2024 World Cup

Peter Topp, Chair of the Federation of International Touch (FIT), expressed his excitement over the

high standards of play observed after a five-year hiatus. He praised the increase in team numbers,

the expansion of divisions, and the inclusion of more female referees. Topp also extended his

gratitude to England Touch and the 250+ volunteers who made the event possible. The anticipation

is already building for the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2028.

Acknowledging the Supporters

The 2024 Touch World Cup was supported by several key sponsors:

 Energy Research Accelerator & HyDEX: Promoting zero-emissions hydrogen power

solutions.

 Mapei: A leader in chemical products for the building industry.

 Vermeer: Innovators in niche market products.

 University of Nottingham: The primary host, providing accommodation, hospitality, and

sports venues.

As the dust settles on this historic event, the 2024 Touch World Cup will be remembered as a turning

point for the sport, further solidifying its place on the global stage. The vibrant atmosphere, record

participation, and outstanding performances have set a new benchmark, promising an even brighter

future for Touch Football.

TWC2024 Official Photos are now Available!

We are pleased to share the official photos from our amazing team of photographers who covered

the week-long 2024 Touch World Cup.

Feel free to download and share the photos to your family, friends, media outlets, and social media.

Just a few basic requests so that everyone can enjoy the photos:

1. Please do not alter or distort the images

2. Images are NOT to be used for any commercial purposes. Please seek endorsement from

your NTO representative prior to contacting FIT should you wish to use images for

commercial purposes

3. Be respectful of the individuals appearing in the photos. No disrespectful, malicious,

derogatory, or unsportsmanlike comments, memes, edits, etc.

4. Please attribute/tag/mention/add as collaborator FIT’s social media accounts

(@internationaltouch) when posting on social media

5. Use these images freely to promote and celebrate the sport of touch

Monday, July 15: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JXhEkprKFg6LR1ct8

Tuesday, July 16: https://photos.app.goo.gl/K8cEWRhfeH41sj8f8

Wednesday, July 17: https://photos.app.goo.gl/1KwA13p3pPmSkoUv9

Thursday, July 18: https://photos.app.goo.gl/zHPgXYfFHXpJ9CrG7

Friday, July 19: https://photos.app.goo.gl/U75H42AQwfnX4Gt89

Saturday, July 20: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YbDxXy9tUTMcsG3h9

Sunday, July 21: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nhxTC4v9vybUF7Go8

Photos by: Clive Wood Photography

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