UWH Worlds 2027 Location

Welcome to France!

Coming to France means having the chance to discover a variety of destinations and themed offers. Whether you are an urban tourist, a hiking or cycling enthusiast, an art lover, a wine and food lover or a beach lover, France is for you!

City

Clermont-Ferrand is a city in central France, the capital of the Auvergne region.

Travelling to Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand benefits from a strategic geographical location in the heart of France, offering easy accessibility for participants and spectators.

Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport (CFE) provides national and international connections, with regular connections to Paris and other major European cities.

Lyon international airport (LYS), a two-hour drive from Clermont-Ferrand, offers direct connections to more than 100 airports (Auckland, Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro, Bogota, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, Dubai, Doha, London, Amsterdam, Istanbul...).

Clermont-Ferrand's train station is located just on the eastern edge of the city centre. A well-connected station with direct connections to Paris (in 3.5 hours via Intercities) and fast connections to Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse but also European cities such as London, Amsterdam, Brussels and Barcelona.

City transports

Clermont-Ferrand has an intra-urban tramway providing access to key points in the city and also has an extensive bus network connecting the downtown to the outlying suburbs. The stations and stops are frequent and the map is easy to understand.

Also, you can get around by car, scooter, motorcycle or moped. The city has around 80 kilometres (50 miles) of bicycle lanes that run alongside the tram. City bikes are available to rent at over 40 locations.

Accommodation

Clermont-Ferrand has very good hotel capacity to accommodate all the teams less than 15 minutes from the competition site, some accessible on foot.

50+ hotels spread across the city, 3,000+ rooms available. All types of accommodation: economical, high-end, sports hotels, half-board and full-board options.

The LOC will provide a dedicated accommodation booking platform offering preferential rates at official hotels, along with dedicated support for participating teams. An airport transfer solution between the arrival airport and the official hotel may also be offered to delegations upon request.

Further information will be provided soon (target June 2026).

Travel / VISA

Depending on your nationality, a visa is required when intending to travel to France. All visas must be applied for prior to departure at the nearest French Embassy or French Consulate in the applicant’s country of residence.

If the duration of your stay does not exceed 90 days per 180-day period, you will be issued a short-stay uniform Schengen visa or national visa depending on your destination.

Do I need a visa? Use French visa assistant.

Whether or not you need a visa, entry into the Schengen area of third-country nationals must comply with a certain number of conditions, as provided for by the European and national regulations in force.

The following supporting documents must be presented at the request of the border police upon your arrival in France:

• A valid passport issued less than 10 years before and valid for at least 3 months after the envisaged departure date;
• A valid visa, if required;
• Proof of accommodation covering the whole duration of the stay (hotel reservation and/or certificate of staying with a relative validated in the town hall);
• Sufficient financial means. The means of subsistence shall be assessed according to the duration and purpose of the stay and by reference to the average prices for accommodation and food in the Member States;
• Your return ticket or the financial means to acquire one at the envisaged return date;
• You must have an insurance certificate covering all medical and hospital expenses for which you may be liable for the duration of your stay in France, as well as medical repatriation costs and expenses in the event of death.

Pool

The competition will take place at Stade Nautique Pierre-de-Coubertin, Rue Pierre de Coubertin 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Located in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, at the center of the metropolitan public transport network, the nautical stadium has an Olympic 50 m pool, as well as a 25 m pool.

To host underwater hockey competitions, the olympic pool is divided in two, thanks to the rotating wall, allowing the installation of two courts with their substitutes area. This allows for two 25 m long play areas, one with a depth of 2.5 m and the other with a depth of 2 m.