For many, football is a passion that begins shortly after we take our very first steps on this Earth. Medicine is another passion, however, this journey usually begins later in life. These two passions often compete ferociously and usually one prevails. It is with great pleasure that The World Medical Football Federation seeks to carry on the tradition of uniting Medicine and Football.

 

This tradition has been incubated by Dr Ferran Morell in the form of The World Medical Football Championship for Medical Teams which for 10 years saw various Medical Teams come together in Barcelona. The training fields and Football Estadi of F.C. Barcelona embraced the coming together of many doctors from all parts of the globe but primarily from around Europe in the form of regional and international football teams of doctors. Football, friendship, sharing of medical knowledge through a structured lecture format and celebration amongst like-minded professionals has created for many, a trip of a lifetime.

 

In 2004, Dr Morell cut the umbilical cord and set his baby free to travel the globe. Rio de Janeiro under the guise of Dr Carlos Figuiredo hosted the XIth World Medical Football Championship for Medical Teams. 6 regional teams from Brazil and 5 teams from abroad competed in a very successful tournament in a heartland of football passion.

 

Dr Clemens Vogel took great opportunity in hosting the following year’s championships the week prior to the World Cup in Mainz, Germany. Out of necessity, the number of teams was restricted and as such the flavour of the tournament moved more toward truly international teams. Spain, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Sweden, Lithuania, South Korea, Hungary, Great Britain and Austria competed with Brazil ending up eventual winners against Spain in the final. The conference hosted numerous experts in their respective fields of medicine with a lecture program of the highest quality. The social highlight involved a cruise down the Rhine river followed by dinner and raucous singing in the dungeon of a castle.

 

Past championships: BARCELONA, SPAIN 1995-2004 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL 2005 MAINZ, DEUTSCHLAND 2006 GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA 2007 KLAIPEDA, LITHUANIA 2008 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA 2009 INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA 2010 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND 2011 MALMO, SWEDEN 2012 BUDAPEST, HUNGARY 2013 NATAL, BRAZIL 2014 LONG BEACH, UNITED STATES 2015 BARCELONA, SPAIN 2016 Leogang, Austria 2017 Prauge, Czech Republic 2018, Playa del Carmen 2019, Mar del Plata 2020.