FIFG, the Federation for International FootGolf, announced that the Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida area, “the most visited destination in the United States and Theme Park Capital of the World,” will host the 2023 FIFG FootGolf World Cup.
Following the FIFG call for bids, the selection committee determined the finalists to be the Sakura City and Utsunomiya area near Tokyo, Japan and the Orlando – Kissimmee area in and around Walt Disney World, which won with nearly 70% of the vote by the 31 member countries.
“We are delighted to be competing on world-class golf courses with a variety of championship FootGolf layouts when the largest number of the world’s best players unite for our global championship,” said Javier de Ancizar, FIFG President. Concurrently, we are pleased to go to such a family-friendly location and hope our players will travel with their loved ones. We are also grateful to organisers in Japan and hope their leadership will offer to host us when we next begin the bidding process.”
Upon receiving word from FIFG, American FootGolf Federation founder Roberto Balestrini expressed his deep appreciation to the selection committee and promised to continue working toward our best event to date. World-class players who have competed here in AFGL events have raved about the experience.
“We successfully staged four editions of the U.S. FootGolf Open on amazing signature courses, and next year’s North American FIFG Major, the U.S. FootGolf Open, will be held at Walt Disney World Golf. Soon after, we will also utilise that same venue for the U.K. vs U.S. Jansen Cup, said Balestrini. “This will give us ample opportunity to prepare for players worldwide in 2023.”
FootGolf’s most prestigious competition, the 2023 World Cup, will occur during the last week of May and the first week of June 2023.
The AFGL and Walt Disney World Golf were instrumental in preparing all components of the winning bid.
“Our area has hosted world-class sporting events for decades, and as Walt Disney World Golf prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary in October, FootGolf has been a popular activity on our courses in recent years,” added Walt Disney World Golf Director and AFGL Ambassador Alex Forsyth. “We will be more than ready to welcome the best players in the world.”
FootGolf – a portmanteau of football and golf – is effectively played under the regulations of the latter, but with football shoes and size-five footballs substituting clubs and dinky, dimpled golf balls. Its governing body, the Federation for International FootGolf (FIFG), has organised three FootGolf World Cups, while its annual World Tour comprised events across 34 countries every year.