Royal Belgian Hockey Association

What Royal Belgian Hockey Association does

The Royal Belgian Hockey Association (Koninklijke Belgische Hockey Bond / RBHA, operating as "Hockey Belgium") is the official national governing body for field hockey in Belgium, founded in 1920 and headquartered in Zaventem. It is structured as a non-profit organization governed by an administrative board and member clubs, with operations delivered through two regional subsidiaries: Hockey Vlaanderen (VHL) for Dutch-speaking Belgium and Hockey Wallonie Bruxelles (HWB/LFH) for French-speaking Belgium. RBHA organizes national outdoor and indoor competitions, certifies coaches, umpires, and club managers through its Hockey Academy ecosystem, manages the Belgian Red Lions (men's) and Red Panthers (women's) national teams, and represents Belgium internationally under FIH and EHF mandates.

The federation's technology stack centers on HockeyApp — a digital match-management platform accessible via web and native iOS/Android applications — integrated with Sportlink for club administration (member management, fee collection) and Drillster for e-learning in umpire certification. Its product portfolio spans competitive offerings (Dr. Oetker Hockey Cup, national leagues across age groups and skill tiers), grassroots initiatives (Start to Hockey from age 5, Hockey 2 School, Street Hockey), academy programs (Coach, Umpire, Club Manager, Ethics), inclusive formats (Para Hockey, Fithockey, G-hockey, Trimhockey, Urban Hockey), and fan engagement services (Hockey Insider newsletter, ticketing platform). Marketing is delivered bilingually through hockey.be, social channels, and major event-driven campaigns like "Stick to Fair-Play."

RBHA's revenue model combines recurring subscription revenue (club affiliations, player memberships, competition licensing, Coach Academy training fees of 60-300€ per candidate), transaction-based revenue (event ticketing, including World Cup 2026 and Dr. Oetker Hockey Cup finals), and advertising/sponsorship revenue from named partners including Eiffage, Dr. Oetker, Candriam, Brussels Airport, and broadcasting partner RTL. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, with affiliated hockey clubs functioning as the primary distribution channel across both linguistic regions. The organization is preparing to host the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 and FIH Para Hockey World Cup 2026, representing a major operational and commercial milestone.

Name

Royal Belgian Hockey Association

Legal name

Koninklijke Belgische Hockey Bond (KBHB)

Website

https://hockey.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Royal Belgian Hockey Association is Belgium's national governing body for field hockey, organizing competitions, certifying coaches and officials, and representing Belgian clubs and national teams (Red Lions, Red Panthers) domestically and internationally, including hosting the 2026 FIH World Cups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation Governance

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAFAC

National Governing Bodies (NGBs)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)

SECONDARYMPAKAFAE

Professional Sport Governing Bodies & League Sanctioning Authorities

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)

Keywords

• National hockey federation
• Field hockey governance
• Hockey coaching certification
• Referee training programs
• Hockey competition management

Headquarters

HQ city

Auderghem

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership and Licensing Fees: Revenue from club affiliations, player memberships, and competition licensing as the national governing body
2. Ticketing and Event Revenue: Revenue from major events including FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, Para Hockey World Cup 2026, and domestic competitions
3. Sponsorship and Partnership: Corporate sponsorship from partners including Eiffage, Dr. Oetker, Candriam, and other commercial partners

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Royal Belgian Hockey Association (KBHB) is the national governing body for field hockey in Belgium, organizing sanctioned outdoor and indoor competitions, operating regional leagues through Hockey Vlaanderen and Hockey Wallonie Bruxelles, and delivering certification programs for coaches, umpires, and club managers. It runs a digital match-management platform (HockeyApp), a club-administration platform (Sportlink), and represents Belgium internationally through the FIH, while hosting major events such as the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 and Para Hockey World Cup 2026.

Product overview

Royal Belgian Hockey Association operates a unified digital platform centered on its official website (hockey.be) and mobile application, supported by the HockeyApp for match reporting and Sportlink for club management. The organization's product portfolio encompasses competitive programs including the Dr. Oetker Hockey Cup, grassroots initiatives such as Start to Hockey and Hockey 2 School, comprehensive academy offerings through the Umpire Academy (referee training from entry to national level), Coach Academy (Animateur through Entraineur certification), Club Manager Academy, and Ethics Academy. Additional services include ticketing for major events, the Hockey Insider newsletter, and awareness campaigns like Stick to Fair-Play featuring mascot Sporty. Para hockey and specialized formats (Fithockey, G-hockey, Trimhockey, Urban Hockey) extend accessibility across diverse populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Lions: Belgian national men's hockey team
• Red Panthers
• Hockey Academy
• Officials Division

Products and services

• HockeyApp Match Management Platform Digital platform providing match reporting, scheduling, results, and competition tracking for club officials, players, coaches, and referees across Belgian hockey.
• Hockey Belgium Mobile Application Official mobile app for Hockey Belgium providing match schedules, results, team management, and club information to players, coaches, officials, and fans.
• National Hockey Competitions (Outdoor & Indoor) Sanctioned national and regional outdoor and indoor hockey leagues and competitions for affiliated Belgian clubs, organized under unified rules.
• Dr. Oetker Hockey Cup Title-sponsored national cup tournament for Belgian hockey clubs, organized annually with a dedicated finals event.
• Coach Academy Certification Program

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EiffagecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEiffage is a sponsor aux côtés des Red Lions & Red Panthers (Belgian national hockey teams), supporting Belgian hockey at the highest competitive levels.
• Dr. OetkercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the Dr. Oetker Hockey Cup, a major Belgian hockey competition with finals event.
• CandriamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInvestment management company featured as sponsor on Hockey Belgium platforms.
• FIH (International Hockey Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal governing body for hockey organizing World Cup 2026 events in Belgium. RBHA operates under FIH regulations and represents Belgium internationally.
• RTLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcasting partner for FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 coverage in Belgium.
• Panathlon Wallonie-BruxellesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization promoting Fair-Play and sports values. LFH is a member supporting Panathlon actions and projects since 2003.
• YAPAKAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild abuse prevention program initiated by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. LFH supports YAPAKA initiatives.
• Sport VlaanderenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlemish government sports body receiving limited member data (member number, address, birthdate, gender, sport federation, club, diplomas) for statistical purposes.
• ONAD (Organisation Nationale Anti Dopage)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational anti-doping organization. LFH supports ONAD objectives and participates in Play True Day since 2018.
• InfrasportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalloon Region service helping sports entities financially with construction, renovation, or expansion of sports facilities. Contact: [email protected]
• CocofminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrussels-Capital Region financing options for sports infrastructure.
• Brussels AirportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor sponsor partner for World Cup 2026 hockey events in Belgium, mentioned in connection with event logistics.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hockey Canada: Canada's NGB for field hockey, operating national-team programs, club development, and competition organization structurally parallel to RBHA. Useful comparable for governance model and member growth strategies.
• Deutscher Hockey-Bund (DHB): Germany's national field hockey federation oversees Bundesliga structure, national teams, and a member-club ecosystem comparable in scope to RBHA's. A natural European counterpart NGB.
• England Hockey: The national governing body for field hockey in England, with a near-identical operating model: affiliations, club network, academy pathways, national teams, and ticketed events. Highly comparable in revenue mix and member services.
• USA Field Hockey: The US national governing body for field hockey, organized similarly with national teams, regional affiliates, academy-style development, and digital member tools. Comparable NGB for international benchmarking.
• Koninklijke Nederlandse Hockey Bond (KNHB): The Royal Dutch Hockey Association is the most directly comparable national governing body for field hockey in the Netherlands. Same sport, same NGB structure, similar academy/event model, and a direct international rival of RBHA's national teams — making it the closest functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH): The global governing body for hockey, which RBHA reports to and which is awarding Belgium the 2026 World Cup. Similar NGB-style operations at the global tier — useful for understanding the federation hierarchy and event-host economics.
• Royal Belgian Football Association (KBVB/URBSFA): Belgium's national football federation: same non-profit NGB structure, same Belgian regulatory environment (ADEPS, Sport Vlaanderen funding channels), but operating at much larger scale in Belgium's dominant sport. Useful as a same-country NGB analogue.
• European Hockey Federation (EHF): The continental governing body that RBHA operates under. Represents the broader regional layer of the same hierarchy, providing context on how national federations interface with international competition and sanctioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hockeybe
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hockeybe2013
• Facebookfacebook.com/hockeybe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hockey-belgium
• Instagraminstagram.com/hockey_be

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Royal Belgian Hockey Association