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We are among the world leaders in this young discipline, and one of our players is a world vice-champion. We are very happy that the teqball competition is scheduled to take place on the Main Square in Krakow. It will be a great promotion for the sport,” believes Michał Listkiewicz, president of the Polish Teqball Association.

This official is well known to football fans. He was the referee who refereed the 1990 World Cup final as an assistant. Later he was also, among other things, president of the Polish Football Association. And from there it is very close to teqball, especially as the sport was invented in Hungary. And that’s where Listkiewicz spent part of his life and studied hungaristics.

“Teqball is a new sport. It is nine years old and has been in Poland for five years. It was invented in Hungary and the curved table is an American idea. We are developing very dynamically. It is a very spectacular discipline,” stresses Listkiewicz. – We are a member of the Polish Olympic Committee and we hope that teqball will also be on the Olympic Games programme. However, young sports have to make their mark,” he admits.

Listkiewicz also points out that teqball has training advantages. “Every self-respecting football club has a table for this sport in its training facilities. It is great for improving technique,” says the association president. “It’s a sport for young and old, fat and skinny. We are not in competition with football, but complementary to it, like beach football or futsal.”

In Krakow, they already know what teqball is all about. Last year, a World Series competition was held here. The finals were held on the Small Market Square. “The weather was fine, and tourists passing by stopped to watch the games. There were also historic townhouses all around. The reception was amazing. This is the strength of the sport,” believes Listkiewicz.

“I believe everyone was impressed by the atmosphere. The random people who sat in the stands, the city officials who ‘gave us’ the Small Market, and the officials of the world federation – adds Krzysztof Ochędalski, vice-president of PZT.

During the European Games, teqball can count on even more fans and an even better place to promote the sport. The most important matches will take place on the Main Square. “A better venue is hard to find. Unless it is in the Vatican in front of the Basilica,” jokes Listkiewicz.

During the European Games Krakow – Malopolska 2023, the teqball competition (28 June – 1 July) will take place in singles and doubles (men and women) as well as in mixed doubles. By the end of March it will be decided who will come to Krakow to compete for medals. The preliminaries take place during the European Teqball Tour events. Two tournaments – in Budapest and Skopje – have already been played.

In March, the players will compete in Madrid and Podgorica. Then, on the basis of the world ranking, a decision will be made on who will start in Krakow. In the Polish national team, Adrian Duszak is a certainty. He is a two-time world vice-champion, two-time bronze medallist and former ranking leader (currently fourth). Several players are vying for the second place in the national team and the above-mentioned tournaments will decide.

Among the women, it is also not yet clear who will gain a nomination. “We are among the world leaders, which means we will also count at the European Games. We can win medals in every discipline,” believes Ochędalski.