FIM Speedway World Cup 2023: Initial squads announced with world champion Bartosz Zmarzlik leading Polish charge

After a six-year absence, the FIM Speedway World Cup returns this summer, with the iconic Olympic Stadium in Wroclaw, Poland hosting the event.

Relaunched as part of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ new era for FIM Speedway, the sport’s original team competition will see Poland defend the iconic Ove Fundin Trophy they secured at the last World Cup back in 2017.

The sport’s top nine nations head to Poland to battle it out, with the semi-finals beginning on July 25 and the final taking place on July 29.

Ahead of the event, the squad lists for the event have been revealed with hosts and defending champions Poland, joined by Australia, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and France, all naming their initial line-ups, which are then whittled down ahead of the first semi-finals.

The team managers have submitted squads of up to 10 riders, which will be cut down to a starting line-up of four, plus one reserve at No. 5.

The remaining riders left out can be drafted in as substitutes or replacements if their country advances to the Race Off and Final.

As hosts, Poland are seeded straight through to the Final on Saturday, July 29 as their eight rivals face off across two nights of semi-final action on July 25 and 26.

The first semi-final will see Great Britain take on Sweden, Czech Republic and Germany, while 24 hours later, last year’s FIM Speedway of Nations world champions Australia will be up against Denmark, Finland and tournament debutants France.

The winner of each semi-final will join Poland in the final, while the fourth spot will be decided by a Race Off on July 28, featuring the second and third-placed nations from the two semis.

FIM SPEEDWAY WORLD CUP 2023 SQUADS

POLAND: Mateusz Cierniak, Maksym Drabik, Patryk Dudek, Maciej Janowski, Janusz Kolodziej, Dominik Kubera, Piotr Pawlicki, Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Szymon Wozniak, Bartosz Zmarzlik (captain). TEAM MANAGER: Rafal Dobrucki.

GREAT BRITAIN: Tai Woffinden (captain), Robert Lambert, Dan Bewley, Tom Brennan, Adam Ellis, Chris Harris, Anders Rowe, Steve Worrall. TEAM MANAGERS: Oliver Allen and Simon Stead.

SWEDEN: Fredrik Lindgren (captain), Jacob Thorssell, Filip Hjelmland, Oliver Berntzon, Kim Nilsson, Antonio Lindback, Philip Hellstrom-Bangs, Victor Palovaara, Daniel Henderson, Anton Karlsson. TEAM MANAGER: Morgan Andersson.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Vaclav Milik (captain), Jan Kvech, Eduard Krcmar, Petr Chlupac, Daniel Klima, Hynek Stichauer, Josef Franc, Matous Kamenik, Jaroslav Vanicek, Jan Jenicek. TEAM MANAGER: Zdenek Schneiderwind.

GERMANY: Martin Smolinski, Kevin Wolbert, Kai Huckenbeck (captain), Norick Blodorn, Michael Hartel, Erik Riss, Marius Hillebrand, Sandro Wassermann, Rene Deddens, Erik Bachhuber. TEAM MANAGERS: Sascha Dorner and Mathias Bartz.

AUSTRALIA: Ryan Douglas, Jason Doyle (captain), Max Fricke, Chris Holder, Jack Holder, Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Sam Masters, Keynan Rew and Rohan Tungate. TEAM MANAGER: Mark Lemon.

DENMARK: Leon Madsen (captain), Mikkel Michelsen, Anders Thomsen, Nicki Pedersen, Rasmus Jensen, Michael Jepsen Jensen, Mads Hansen, Frederik Jakobsen, Nicolai Klindt, Andreas Lyager Hansen. TEAM MANAGER: Nicki Pedersen.

FINLAND: Timo Lahti (captain), Jesse Mustonen, Antti Vuolas, Timi Salonen, Nicce Sayrio, Tero Aarnio, Ronni Niemela, Joni Laukkanen, Henri Ahlbom, Topi Mustonen. TEAM MANAGER: Aki-Pekka Mustonen.

FRANCE: David Bellego (captain), Dimitri Berge, Mathieu Tresarrieu, Steven Goret, Mathias Tresarrieu, Jordan Dubernard, Tino Bouin. TEAM MANAGER: Laurent Sambarrey.

SCHEDULE

SEMI-FINAL 1 (TUESDAY, JULY 25)

• Great Britain
• Sweden
• Czech Republic
• Germany

SEMI-FINAL 2 (WEDNESDAY, JULY 26)

• Australia
• Denmark
• Finland
• France

RACE OFF (FRIDAY, JULY 28)

• Second place from semi-final 1
• Third place from semi-final 2
• Second place from semi-final 1
• Third place from semi-final 2

FINAL: SATURDAY, JULY 29

• Poland
• Winner of Semi-final 1
• Winner of Semi-final 2
• Winner of Race Off

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