After an extensive merger process and following decisions at the respective federations’ annual meetings on March 21, 2026, it is now confirmed that SWE3 – The Swedish Association for American Football, Flag Football and Hockey will merge with SBSLF – The Swedish Baseball, Softball and Lacrosse Federation.
– SWE3’s six sports are all sports with great passion, strong community, and relatively limited resources. They are largely driven by volunteers, often individuals who both train, coach, and manage administrative tasks. It is within this reality that the need for a new structure has emerged, and through the merger between SWE3 and SBSLF, we are making a deliberate and strategic investment in the future, says Kjell Peterson, Chairman of SWE3.
– Our clubs have made an active decision that a merger is the next step to develop our activities. Together with SWE3, we are building something bigger—not to change, but to improve—so that our sports can grow, gain visibility, and take their place, says Rickard Kronqvist, Chairman of SBSLF.
The merger means that SWE3 will assume responsibility for baseball, softball, and lacrosse in Sweden. The new federation’s legal name will be SWE3 – The Swedish Association for American Football, Baseball, Flag Football, Hockey, Lacrosse and Softball. The transfer of staff, finances, and other functions from SBSLF to SWE3 will take place gradually during 2026.
The Swedish Baseball Federation was founded in 1956, softball was introduced in 1979, and lacrosse in 2021. SWE3 was established in 2022 following a merger between the Swedish American Football Federation, founded in 1984, and the Swedish Hockey Federation, founded in 1975.
From its inception, SWE3’s ambition has been to create a modern and sustainable multi-sport federation capable of growth and development. Through this merger, SWE3 now includes nearly 100 clubs with activities in more than 60 municipalities across Sweden, and a total of 24 national teams.
– The merger is an adaptation to a sports movement that increasingly favors larger organizations with efficiency and long-term sustainability. But it is also based on the conviction that we are strongest together. By combining expertise, resources, and experience, we strengthen our resilience to economic fluctuations, enhance our administrative capacity, and improve our ability to support clubs, leaders, and athletes. Together, we now continue to make Sweden’s best sports community even better, concludes Kjell Peterson.