Historic Double Gold: Team USA Sweeps Men’s and Women’s Titles at the 2026 ISBHF World Championships
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic — The 2026 ISBHF Ball Hockey World Championships will forever be remembered as one of the greatest moments in the history of USA Ball Hockey. Over nine unforgettable days in Ostrava, Czech Republic, both the United States Men’s and Women’s National Teams captured gold medals, marking the first time Team USA has swept the senior world championships.
The achievement represents a defining milestone for the sport in the United States and reflects years of dedication from players, coaches, officials, volunteers, and supporters who have helped elevate USA Ball Hockey on the international stage.
Men Make History – The United States Men’s National Team delivered a championship run for the ages, capturing the nation’s first-ever ISBHF Men’s World Championship. After battling through a highly competitive tournament, Team USA earned a thrilling 4-3 semifinal victory over longtime rival Canada to advance to the gold medal game against host Czechia. In front of a passionate home crowd, the Americans remained composed in a tightly contested championship matchup. Following a 1-1 regulation tie, the game headed to overtime where PJ Biagetti scored the historic golden goal, lifting Team USA to a dramatic 2-1 victory and securing the program’s first world title. The championship victory marked a watershed moment for USA Ball Hockey and cemented the 2026 team among the greatest in the nation’s history.
Women Repeat as World Champions – The United States Women’s National Team once again proved it is the powerhouse among the world’s elite by successfully defending its world championship. Displaying the speed, depth, and resilience that has become synonymous with the program, Team USA advanced to the gold medal game where it defeated host Czechia in a 1-0 chess match to capture their second consecutive ISBHF Women’s World Championship. Brooklyn Schneiderhan scored the deciding goal during the second period of the match, which was all the champs needed as their shutdown defensive system, paired with stellar goaltending by Maxie Weisz, secured back-to-back golds for the women. The victory further established the United States as the premier program in international women’s ball hockey and showcased the continued growth and development of the women’s game across the country.
A Landmark Tournament for USA Ball Hockey – The historic double-gold performance represents far more than two championship trophies. It is the culmination of years of investment in player development, coaching education, officiating, youth programming, and partnerships that continue to grow the sport nationwide. From grassroots programs to the international stage, the success in Ostrava reflects the strength of the entire USA Ball Hockey community. The 2026 ISBHF World Championships will be remembered not only for unforgettable games and dramatic finishes but for a defining chapter in American ball hockey history. For the first time ever, both the Men’s and Women’s National Teams stood atop the podium together as World Champions.
These titles will be celebrated quickly. The ISBHF has announced that the Men and Women World Champions will have to defend a little faster than usual as games will take place in Slovakia next June as a way of placing the highest level of competition in ball hockey back on the odd-number years away from the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic dates. Prep for 2027 is underway.
Once again, congratulations to all of the players who represented USA Ball Hockey so well. Special love goes out to General Managers Angelo Terrana (USWNT) and Dan Coldwell (USMNT), Head Coaches, Jen Wilson (USWNT) and James Chicky Mentis (USMNT), and to all of the staff members who put in countless hours of planning to prepare our athletes. For Team USA, the future has never looked brighter.
