Major joint initiative to secure the future of Swedish speedway

More Swedish riders in the BAUHAUS League, a new three-year agreement with Poland and a major joint investment in the next generation. Svemo and the clubs of Elitspeedway Sweden (ESS) are joining forces in a major initiative aimed at reversing the trend and strengthening Swedish speedway for the long term.

For many years, Swedish speedway has faced a downward trend, both in the number of riders and in Swedish success at individual and national team level. At the same time, the number of Swedish riders competing in the domestic leagues has been a recurring topic of discussion.

For several years, the BAUHAUS League clubs have had an agreement requiring at least two Swedish riders in each team. However, the limited number of riders currently competing at the level required for Sweden’s top league has made it difficult to go further.

Now, the conditions are changing – both internationally and in Sweden.

New agreement with Poland

Polish speedway has developed strongly, and the top two Polish leagues are planning to restrict their riders to competing in only one additional foreign league outside Poland. At the same time, other countries are looking to prioritize their own domestic competitions.

For Sweden, this created a significant risk that many international riders would no longer be available to race in the Swedish leagues.

Following intensive discussions between leagues and federations in Sweden, Poland, Great Britain and Denmark, Sweden and Poland have now reached a three-year agreement.

“Under the agreement, riders competing in the Polish leagues will be able to race in Sweden even if they also choose to compete in one other foreign league. Sweden’s commitment is that every BAUHAUS League team must include at least two U21 riders, with at least one holding a Swedish license. This is a very important agreement for Swedish speedway,” says Krister Gardell, Head of Track Racing at Svemo.

The agreement means, for example, that a rider can combine racing in Poland, Sweden and Great Britain, or Poland, Sweden and Denmark. At present, however, Great Britain and Denmark cannot be combined, as they have chosen not to be part of the agreement.

Sweden chooses to go further

The agreement with Poland sets out the minimum requirements. During the summer, Svemo and the ESS clubs agreed to go significantly further and use the changing international landscape as an opportunity for a fresh start for Swedish speedway.

From 2027, every BAUHAUS League team must include at least three Svemo-licensed riders, including at least one U21 rider. If the team includes one Swedish-licensed U21 rider, it must also include one additional U21 rider, either Swedish or international.

For 2028, the target is four Svemo-licensed riders per team. The experience gained during the 2027 season will determine how the regulations are ultimately structured.

“We want to create more opportunities for Swedish riders to establish themselves at the highest level. At the same time, the changes need to be introduced responsibly. The young riders have to show that they are ready to take the opportunity, while we also need to make sure that established Swedish riders over the age of 21 are not squeezed out. That is why we will evaluate the 2027 season before deciding on the final model for 2028,” says Mikael Holmstrand, Chairman of ESS.

More opportunities – and better conditions to succeed

The initiative is not simply about creating more places for Swedish riders in the BAUHAUS League. Svemo and ESS are jointly investing in a comprehensive rider development program, while the elite clubs will take greater responsibility locally for recruitment and development.

The Swedish Speedway Academy (SSA), run by Linus Sundström alongside his role as Swedish national team manager, will play a central part.

Its current development program will be complemented by SSA Elite, aimed at riders who have progressed furthest and are ready to make the commitment required to become professional speedway riders. SSA instructors will also be available to support club training sessions around the country.

At the same time, the ESS clubs are committing to:

• create more racing opportunities and regular training sessions for junior riders
• organize at least five introductory “try speedway” activities each year and actively work with recruitment
• support junior riders throughout the winter with physical training, equipment and preparations
• invest in opportunities for their junior riders to take part in SSA Elite.

The initiative also places clear expectations on riders and their teams. To benefit from these opportunities and the support available, riders will be expected to make a serious and professional commitment both on and off the track – including physical training, reinvesting in their equipment and actively competing in the leagues and events available to them.

An investment in the future of Swedish speedway

The changes mean that more young Swedish riders will be given opportunities earlier in their careers than they are today. The ESS clubs recognize that this could have some short-term impact on the overall sporting level of the BAUHAUS League, but believe the investment is essential for the long-term future of the sport.

“We understand that having a larger number of young Swedish riders may mean a slightly lower overall sporting level for a few years. That is a price we are prepared to pay to build a stronger 

Swedish speedway for the future. We also know the atmosphere and excitement our home-grown riders can create at our tracks when they succeed. I hope and believe that both supporters and sponsors will want to be part of that journey,” says Mikael Holmstrand.

The next step will be to develop the initiative further together with the Allsvenskan clubs, creating even more opportunities for Swedish riders to train and race.

“Without this agreement and a major investment in developing our own riders, within a few years we could have faced a situation where the number of available riders had fallen so far that maintaining the Swedish league system as we know it today would no longer have been possible. Svemo and the clubs are now taking joint responsibility. The goal is clear – we will reverse the trend and create the next generation of Swedish speedway riders,” concludes Krister Gardell.