This showcased growth, resilience, and strong team spirit throughout the competition. With both squads supported by a shared staff team and several new players gaining valuable international experience, the tournament marked an important step forward for British goalball.

Unified Approach Strengthens Team Culture

Great Britain fielded both men’s and women’s teams at the 2025 European Championships in Lahti, supported by a shared multidisciplinary staff including head and assistant coaches for each team, alongside a physiotherapist, sports psychologist, performance analyst, and performance director.

This collaborative structure proved highly effective, enhancing morale and fostering a unified team culture. A further highlight was the international classification of 10 players, including three debutants.

Mark Winder, CEO of Goalball UK, said:

“It was incredibly pleasing to see the improved performances in Pajulahti. It is a testament to the hard work of many in implementing the changes to form our new Performance Pathway. There were many exciting signs, and I look forward to seeing further developments from a talented group of athletes over the forthcoming cycle.”

Men’s Team: Resilient Performances in a Tough Field

The Great Britain men’s team faced a challenging group that included Finland, Türkiye, Poland, and Lithuania. Their group results were as follows:

• Finland 7–6 Great Britain
• Türkiye 7–5 Great Britain
• Poland 11–5 Great Britain
• Great Britain 6–3 Lithuania

These results saw the men finish 4th in their group, advancing to the quarterfinals, where they faced Ukraine. Despite a strong effort, Great Britain lost 8-1, moving into the playoff rounds.

Subsequent matches saw a narrow 5–4 loss to Finland in the 5-8th placement fixture, which meant they would play Montenegro in the 7-8th placement fixture which ended in a 7-4 defeat, confirming relegation to the European B Division.

Faye Dale-Cook, Talent and Inclusion Director & Deputy CEO and GB Men’s Head Coach, said:

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team. We didn’t get the results we wanted, but what it showed is our development and what the programme needs to focus on moving forward. The European B Championships is the new challenge for 2026, and I know the athletes and staff will be striving to regain Great Britain’s place within the top tier of European goalball.”

Women’s Team: New Squad, Strong Results

The Great Britain women’s team delivered an impressive campaign, showing resilience and attacking flair throughout.

Group Results:

• Türkiye 9–2 Great Britain
• Great Britain 6–0 Finland
• Great Britain 3–2 Germany
• Great Britain 8–2 Hungary
• Great Britain 7–3 Poland

With four wins from five, Great Britain finished second in the group, advancing to the quarterfinals against Ukraine. After taking a 2–0 lead, Great Britain narrowly lost 3–2 but responded superbly – defeating Poland 6–1 and then Greece 3–1 in the 5th–6th playoff to claim 5th place overall.

A win rate of 75% and a goal difference of +15 demonstrates significant progress for the team.

Gary Lambert, Women’s Head Coach, said:

“I’m incredibly proud of our women’s squad and what we collectively achieved at the European Championships.

With four athletes and coaches making their European Championships debuts, hitting our goal of 5th place while exceeding many other targets is a powerful validation of our rapid development. Leaving Finland with a tinge of disappointment, despite such success, perfectly illustrates our shared ambition – knowing we had a genuine medal opportunity.

It’s important to recognise the positive collective energy of the entire programme. From staff and athletes in Finland to those back in the UK, whether cheering each other on or swimming in the lake, Team GB solidarity remains our true strength.”

Looking Ahead: Building Through the Los Angeles Cycle

While the men’s relegation was disappointing, the tournament showcased Great Britain’s unity, development, and potential across both squads.

The shared staff model, strong team morale, and emergence of new talent all point to a solid foundation heading into the next phase of the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games cycle. The experience in Finland has made both teams wiser, more connected, and ready to embrace the next stage of their journey.

Gary Fraser, Performance Director, said:

“The European Championships marked the first major milestone of our re-imagined programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games cycle. We are young in our journey and evolving as a programme, and there is much for us to be proud of.

Performances were vastly improved — the data backs this up — and we look forward to continuing the hard work with an incredible athlete cohort and staff team.”

Key stats at a glance:

GB Women:

• Matches played – 8
• Wins – 6
• Goals scored – 37
• Top scorer – Lois Turner with 17 goals
• Final position – 5th

GB Men:

• Matches played – 7
• Wins – 1
• Goals scored – 26
• Top scorer – Dan Roper with 21 goals
• Final position – 8th

Support the Goalball UK Performance Pathway

To support our Performance Pathway or to find out more, please visit the Performance section of our website, which includes key contact details where you can get in touch: Performance Pathway.

To donate to support the programme, visit: Goalball UK on Enthuse.