Nottingham is proud to be hosting the Touch World Cup next year. The Federation of International Touch (FIT) and England Touch Association (ETA) announced that the 2024 Touch World Cup will take place at the University of Nottingham’s Highfields Sports Complex between 15 and 21 July 2024. Nottingham will also be host the Atlantic Youth Touch Cup 2023 this summer.
Touch is an inclusive, minimal contact version of rugby that all ages can play on the same pitch as equals. In fact, the six person teams can be made up of men, women or a mix of 3 men and 3 women. The game is fast and an attacking player with the ball is ‘tackled’ by a defender touching any part of them or their clothing. With a shout of ‘Touch’ the ball carrier must stop and roll the ball backward (as in Rugby League). If the defenders haven’t intercepted the ball, after 6 touches, they get the ball and become the attackers.
The Highfields Sports Complex has become synonymous with major international Touch events over the past few years, having hosted the European Touch Championships in 2018 and 2022.
Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Planning, said. “We are delighted that Nottingham will be hosting the Touch World Cup and we look forward to welcoming the players, coaches, officials and supporters in 2024. It’s a great opportunity to bring the game to a wider audience, supporting the council’s agenda to encourage participation in physical activity.
“Nottingham has a strong history of hosting international events and the Touch World Cup will provide significant economic benefits to the city and the region. We look forward to working with the England Touch Association and other partners in the city to raise the profile of the tournament and highlight the inclusivity of the game.”
You can find out more about Touch at https://www.englandtouch.org.uk/ or contact Nottingham’s local club through their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nottinghamtouch/