New Zealand will stage its biggest ever squash event when the PSA World Squash Championships are staged in Auckland in 2028, alongside a new club tournament taking in nearly 40 courts across the city.
Squash New Zealand Poipātū Aotearoa announced on Tuesday it has secured hosting rights for the 2027-28 PSA Squash World Championships between Feb 19-27.
The sport showpiece will take place just five months before the sport makes its Olympic debut at the LA 2028 Games.
The tournament will be contested on a glass court at the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Central Auckland.
Paul Coll, who will be 35 by the time of the event, said he’s thrilled to have the opportunity to compete at a home World Championships: “I’ve spent most of my career playing in front of crowds on the other side of the world. To have the World Championships in New Zealand, in the same year squash finally gets to the Olympics, is unreal.
“I want as many Kiwis as possible in that arena while I give it everything I have to become World Champion at home.”
The tournament will run concurrently with the inaugural World Club Championships, a new competition which will allow club players from around the world to compete in their own tournament, alongside the World Championships.
Together the two events are expected to be the largest squash event ever held. Nearly 40 courts across Auckland clubs will be in use, all within 30 minutes of the championship glass court at the NZICC.
PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough said: “New Zealand has done incredible things in the world of squash in recent years, bringing the Nations Cup, the World Teams and, most notably, the New Zealand Open to the people of Aotearoa.”
Squash New Zealand Poipātū Aotearoa Chief Executive Martin Dowson said: “This is the biggest thing to happen to squash in New Zealand in my lifetime. We are a small country with a deep squash history.
“To bring the World Championships here, in the year squash finally reaches the Olympics, is going to be extremely special. What will make it even more special is the World Club Championships running at the same time. You will have a club team from Whangārei playing in the morning and the world number one on the glass court that night.”
Australasia last hosted the world championships 25 years ago in Melbourne.