It is a historic milestone for national sport: Portugal will host the World Minigolf Championship for the first time, and the city of Vizela was chosen as the host location from October 9 to 17. Finals October 15 to 17
Vizela is widely recognized as one of the major minigolf capitals in Portugal, featuring top-tier infrastructure at the Parque das Termas de Vizela.
Event Highlights
- Dates: October 9 to 17
- Location: Vizela Minigolf Course (Parque das Termas)
- Organization: Portuguese Minigolf Federation in conjunction with the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) and the Vizela City Council
- Participants: Hundreds of athletes and delegations from dozens of countries.
The official details and schedule framework for the world championship hosted in Vizela, Portugal:
Official Website
- Event Website: swc2026-vizela.pt; https://www.instagram.com/swcvizela?igsh=MTBtOTE0YTVwdnZ3OQ%3D%3D
- Governing Body: World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF); https://www.instagram.com/worldminigolfsport/
Tournament Structure & Schedule
The event schedule spans 9 days and is divided into official training sessions, team competitions, strokeplay, and matchplay finals across both miniaturegolf and felt/concrete systems at the Parque das Termas de Vizela course:
| Stage | Schedule | Activities |
| Official Training | Days 1–3 (Oct 9–11) | • Official team arrival & check-in • Practice rounds on tournament courses • Opening Ceremony |
| Strokeplay & Team Competition | Days 4–6 (Oct 12–14) | • World Team Championship rounds • Individual Strokeplay qualifying rounds |
| Individual Strokeplay Finals | Day 7 (Oct 15) | • Final rounds for top individual strokeplay competitors |
| Matchplay Competition | Days 8–9 (Oct 16–17) | • Knockout Matchplay rounds • Championship Finals & Medal Ceremony • Closing Ceremony |
(Detailed tee times and live player pairings are published on the official event website prior to the start of competition).
The World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) is the international umbrella organization for competitive minigolf worldwide.
1. Origins & Foundation (1963–1980)
Minigolf transitioned from a casual garden activity to an organized sport in Europe during the mid-20th century:
- First National Body (1937): The Swedish Minigolf Federation (Svenska Bangolfförbundet) was founded in 1937, making it the oldest minigolf sports federation in the world.
- International Union (1963): As minigolf grew across Central and Northern Europe in the 1950s, national federations felt the need to unify rules, equipment specifications, and tournament structures. In 1963, the International Minigolf Sport Union (IBGV – Internationaler Bahnengolf-Verband) was established in Europe.
- Global Transition (1980): In 1980, the IBGV restructured into a broader international federation to expand beyond Europe, establishing its formal status as the governing body for world competitive minigolf.
2. Evolution to the WMF (1993–Present)
- Name Change (1993): In 1993, the organization formally changed its name from IBGV to the World Minigolf Sport Federation (WMF) to reflect its expanding global scope across Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania.
- International Recognition: WMF gained official recognition from key international sports governing bodies, becoming a full member of:
- GAISF / SportAccord (Global Association of International Sports Federations)
- AIMS (Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport)
- TAFISA (The Association for International Sport for All)
- The Olympic Movement framework for non-Olympic sports
3. Key Responsibilities & Standardized Systems
The WMF sets and governs the international rules of competitive minigolf. It recognizes four official standard playing systems:
- Concrete (Bongni): Standardized 12-meter-long concrete tracks, designed by Swiss architect Paul Bongni in the 1950s.
- Miniaturegolf: Shorter 6.25-meter prefabricated metal frame tracks with fiber-cement plates.
- Felt golf: Long wooden/felt-padded tracks, popular in Scandinavian countries.
- Minigolf Open Standard (MOS): Standardized adventurous or artificial turf courses meeting strict competitive criteria.
4. Global Competitions
The WMF organizes major international events on a regular multi-year cycle:
- WMF World Championship: Held biannually, bringing together national teams and top individual players worldwide.
- WMF World Youth Championship: Dedicated to junior athletes.
- Continental Championships: European, Asian, and American regional tournaments held in alternating years.
- WMF World Adventure Golf Tour (WAGT): A international series featuring open-standard courses.
The World Minigolf Championships / WMF Seniors World Championships 2026 are taking place in Vizela, Portugal (at the Vizela Parque das Termas concrete and miniaturegolf courses) from October 9 to 17, 2026.
Tournament Schedule Overview
- Official Training & Arrival: October 9–11
- Team Competition & Individual Strokeplay Qualifying: October 12–14 / 14–16
- Individual Strokeplay Finals: October 15–16
- Knockout Matchplay Competition & Finals: October 16–17
Key Information & Live Results
- Venue: Vizela Parque das Termas (Concrete & Miniaturegolf courses)
- Participating Nations: 15 countries
- Live Leaderboards: Detailed round-by-round results, category standings, and live scorecards are hosted directly on the official WMF timing system at minigolf-live.com (Tournament ID
1606afor Strokeplay /1606bfor Matchplay)
List of 15 participating nations competing at the WMF Senior World Minigolf Championship 2026 in Vizela, Portugal:
- 🇦🇹 Austria (AUT)
- 🇨🇿 Czech Republic (CZE)
- 🇩🇰 Denmark (DEN)
- 🇫🇮 Finland (FIN)
- 🇫🇷 France (FRA)
- 🇩🇪 Germany (GER)
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain (GBR)
- 🇮🇹 Italy (ITA)
- 🇱🇻 Latvia (LAT)
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands (NED)
- 🇳🇴 Norway (NOR)
- 🇵🇹 Portugal (POR) — Host Nation
- 🇸🇰 Slovakia (SVK)
- 🇸🇪 Sweden (SWE)
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland (SUI)
The matchplay draw for the finals is determined directly by the final standings of the Individual Strokeplay competition.
Because the Individual Strokeplay finals are taking place today, October 15, the matchplay seedings and direct knockout pairings are published immediately upon completion of today’s strokeplay rounds.
How the Matchplay Draw Works
- Seeding: Players are seeded #1 through #32 (or #1 through #16 depending on category size) strictly based on their total strokeplay score across both systems (concrete and miniaturegolf).
- Bracket Structure: Standard seeded elimination bracket:
- Seed #1 plays Seed #32 (or #16)
- Seed #2 plays Seed #31 (or #15)
- Seed #3 plays Seed #30 (or #14), and so on.
Matchplay Competition Schedule
- Round of 32 / Round of 16: Friday morning, October 16
- Quarterfinals & Semifinals: Friday afternoon, October 16
- Finals & Medal Matches: Saturday, October 17
Where to View the Live Draw & Pairings
As soon as today’s strokeplay round closes, player pairings, lane order, and exact tee times for tomorrow’s matchplay rounds are posted live on the WMF official scoring system:
- Official Live Scoring & Draw Sheet: minigolf-live.com (Tournament ID
1606bfor Matchplay)
