About Tchoukball UK
Tchoukball UK (TUK) is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport of tchoukball in the United Kingdom. We’re set up as a Community Interest Company, a not-for-profit status. As an NGB, we are responsible for governing tchoukball across the UK, controlling competitions and creating opportunities for athletes of all levels to compete. We work with local and national government to get tchoukball started in schools and clubs, and we’re creating a network of volunteer and paid coaches to create skills and opportunities.
As a small sport, we’re also able to offer athletes the chance to compete for the UK in a variety of age-groups in different competitions across the world. We have a great reputation internationally, and offer opportunities athletes in other sports can only dream of!
We’ve been around in one form or another since the early 1970s – here’s a small selection of key moments in our history:
1971: FITB is founded
Tchoukball’s global governing body, the International Tchoukball Federation (FITB), is formed laying the ground for tchoukball in the UK.
1972: BTBA is founded
Tchoukball arrives in the UK and the British Tchoukball Association is formed on 9 December 1972, BTBA successfully applies to become a member of the FITB.
1973-1980: Tchoukball grows in the UK
Tchoukball is introduced to Hampshire from Cheltenham and new weekly leagues are formed.
1984: First World Tchoukball Championships
The UK men and women finish second to Taiwan who dominate international tchoukball for many years to come.
1985-1990: Senior leagues flourish in Hampshire
International tchoukball competitions inspire many people to start playing, some of which are still playing today.
1990: The UK’s first international event
Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth is the place where the UK hosts its first international event: the World Tchoukball Championships 1990.
1990-1997: A new generation of players
Tchoukball spreads to Norfolk and Suffolk and national youth events are set up as a new generation learn the sport.
2000: Tchoukball internationally begins to grow again
The UK sends men’s and women’s squads to Geneva, the birthplace of tchoukball as the first World Championships for 10 years is staged.
13 January 2002: BTBA becomes TAGB
The BTBA which has been inactive for many years is relaunched as the Tchoukball Association of Great Britain (TAGB). A new team of people takes over the running of tchoukball.
2002: UK hosts the FITB World Championships
The World Championships 2002 in Loughborough give the newly formed TAGB a strong financial boost through sponsorship and a well-run event.
2005: World Beach Tchoukball Championships
The UK men’s and women’s squads take part in the first World Beach Tchoukball Championships.
2006: European Tchoukball Champions
The UK men win the 2006 European Tchoukball Championships in Macolin, Switzerland, beating reigning world champions Switzerland in the final.
2007: School players develop tchoukball in new places
Former players who began their journey at school found new clubs in Guildford, Bury St Edmunds and Southampton University.
2009: Leeds Beckett University Tchoukball Club
Tchoukball gets its first-ever team in the north of England at Leeds Beckett University.
2010: UK hosts European Tchoukball Championships
The UK successfully bids to host the FITB European Tchoukball Championships 2010 in Hereford and tchoukball is introduced to the west country.
25 July 2010: TAGB rebranded as Tchoukball UK
The TAGB Board gains agreement from members to change the association name to Tchoukball UK, reflecting its desire to bring tchoukball to the whole of the UK over the longer term.
2012: Tchoukball UK and Leeds host the first European Winners’ Cup held in the UK
The European Winners’ Cup, the highest club competition in Europe is held at Leeds Beckett University.
22 August 2012: Tchoukball UK CIC
Tchoukball UK changes from an association to a Community Interest Company with a Board of Directors and a Senior Management Team.
2013: Tchoukball UK Board member elected to FITB
Richard Jackson is elected to the Board of the FITB at the FITB General Assembly in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
2014: Tchoukball UK Board members help found the European Tchoukball Federation (ETBF)
Following the success of the 2010 European Championships in Hereford and the appearance of many new European countries playing tchoukball, Philip Moore and Richard Jackson are elected to the first Executive Committee of the ETBF as Vice-President and General Secretary.
2016: Tchoukball UK recruits its first Independent Director
Tchoukball UK recruits a specialist Governance Director as it signs up to the Voluntary Code of Good Governance from the Sport and Recreation Alliance.
2018: First official Tchoukball UK youth squads
Tchoukball UK sends teams in the Under-15 and Under-18 categories to the European Youth Tchoukball Championships in Ferrara, Italy.
2018: Membership Directors
Tchoukball UK adds 4 Membership Directors to its board to keep in touch with the issues of its members.
2019: World Championship squads
Tchoukball UK sends under-15s, under-18s, men’s and women’s squads to Malaysia and Singapore in its biggest international year of tchoukball ever.
2020: COVID-19
During the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic, Tchoukball UK has its “Return to Play” programme approved by the UK government and uses the time to bring major change to the organisation.
2022: European Open and Youth Tchoukball Championships
Tchoukball UK hosts the 2022 European Tchoukball Championships in Leeds for men, women and youth players: the biggest competition ever held in the UK.
2023: World Tchoukball Championships, Prague
The Masters-40 UK team debuts, finishing in silver place in the competition losing narrowly by 2 to the Czech Republic.
2025: World Beach Tchoukball Championships, Indonesia
The UK men’s Beach Tchoukball Squad finish 5th of 12 in Bali, Indonesia.
2026: European Open, Masters and Youth Tchoukball Championships, Macolin, Switzerland
The largest UK delegation ever travels to Macolin Switzerland, participating in 6 different categories and securing silver in 2 categories, bronze in 1 category and 4th place in 3 categories.