2025 European Hockey Championships: Europe's elite play on Polytan – sustainable sport at the highest level

From 8 to 17 August 2025, SparkassenPark Mönchengladbach became the stage where Europe’s best hockey nations fought for the continental title. The EuroHockey Championships brought together the strongest national teams for ten days of world-class competition, emotional moments, and unforgettable highlights.

The tournament had already made history in 2023 at Europe’s largest hockey stadium, played on Polytan’s Poligras turf. In 2025, the venue once again delivered: home to the German national teams and the headquarters of the German Hockey Federation (DHB), it proved the ideal setting for another showcase of elite hockey.

For Polytan, as a long-standing partner of the DHB, the event was also a chance to underline its commitment to the sport. The matches were played on a cutting-edge Poligras turf system that combines top-level performance with a sustainable design — more than 60% of its filaments are made from renewable raw materials.

And the hockey did not disappoint. The German men (HONAMAS) thrilled the home crowd by reclaiming the European crown for the first time since 2011, while the Dutch women extended their dominance with another title, narrowly defeating the German women (DANAS) in the final.

The German Hockey Federation echoed that sentiment. “We are proud to have once again hosted the European Championships in Germany,” said Magnus Weiand of the DHB. “With up to 9,500 seats and a top-quality Polytan hockey turf, the Mönchengladbach stadium offers ideal conditions for an event of this calibre. We would like to thank Polytan for once again supporting us as a partner in making EuroHockey 2025 a success.”

Sustainable infrastructure for modern hockey

The games were played on a particularly high-performance Poligras artificial turf system from Polytan, which was specially developed for the requirements of international top-level hockey. The hockey surface offers precise and optimal ball control without directional distortion, as well as optimal conditions for fairness and speed in the game. At the same time, it features an innovative, sustainable material concept: about 60% of the filaments are made from renewable raw materials, conserving resources and reducing environmental impact.

Sporting highlights on a state-of-the-art playing field

The hockey pitch in Mönchengladbach was the scene of 10 days of thrilling matches, emotional moments and sporting excellence. A total of 16 national teams – eight women's and eight men's teams – competed against each other in a world-class tournament. In addition to the prestigious European Championship title, direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands was also at stake.

Gold for the German men – triumph on home soil

A particular highlight was the men's final, in which the German team prevailed 4-1 in a shoot-out against the Netherlands after a 1-1 draw in regular time. Goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg was the match winner with several saves, while Mats Grambusch was named player of the tournament. It was Germany's ninth European Championship title – and the first on home soil since 2011.

Silver for the German women – strong performance, narrow defeat

The German women's team also impressed with great team spirit and a strong performance. After a hard-fought semi-final victory against Belgium, they narrowly lost 1-2 to the Netherlands in the final. The DANAS are therefore deserved European vice-champions, carried by the home crowd’s thunderous applause from the fans.

Double championships and double victory

Alongside the main European Championships, Mönchengladbach also hosted the EuroHockey ID Championships, the inclusive tournament for athletes with intellectual disabilities. From 10 to 13 August, teams first competed at the GHTC grounds before the finals moved to the big stage at the Sparkassen HockeyPark.

The German ID team rose to the occasion, delighting home supporters with a commanding 5:1 win over England in the final. Their triumph gave Germany another European title to celebrate and underlined the growing importance of inclusive hockey within the sport’s European showcase.

Spain doubles up on the podium

Both Spanish teams secured bronze medals in Mönchengladbach. The men triumphed 2:0 against France, while the women prevailed in a dramatic shoot-out against Belgium. Goalkeeper Clara Pérez proved decisive, delivering an outstanding performance by saving multiple penalties to secure Spain’s place on the podium.

A tournament that sets standards

The 2025 European Hockey Championships were a success in many ways: in terms of sport, atmosphere and technology. For the athletes, the tournament was a stage for top performances and achievements. For Polytan, it was the ideal opportunity to show what we stand for: sports surfaces for tomorrow's world.