More than 400 athletes from across the continent are expected to compete in the tournament at the city's university, which will also host the British team in their preparations for the Rio 2016 Paralympics, and the preceding World and European Championships.

The announcement of the success of the bid, which was supported by UK Sport, was made by International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWFB) European President Jan Berteling at the Standard Life Continental Clash hosted at the arena, which saw Britain's wheelchair basketball team take on London 2012 gold medallists Canada, along with Germany and Spain.

"We are delighted to have won the bid to host the European Championships," British Wheelchair Basketball chairman Malcolm Tarkenter said.

"It reaffirms the UK as a leading nation of the sport in Europe.

More than 400 athletes are expected to compete at the 2015 European Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Britain

"Our partnership with the University is going from strength to strength and we are looking forward to delivering a world class event with them, UK Sport and other partners we hope to attract from the local area."

The 2,000-seat arena has been earmarked as a centre of excellence for disability sport, notably wheelchair basketball and blind football, and will also play host to British Basketball League (BBL) team, the Worcester Wolves.

"It is a huge honour to have been selected as the venue for the 2015 European Championships and is testament, not only to the quality of the our new Arena, but also to the work of the University in supporting and leading the way in disability sport," University of Worcester vice chancellor David Green said.

Simon Morton, director of major events at UK Sport, added: "Along with our partners British Wheelchair Basketball and the University of Worcester, we are delighted to have won the bid to host the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships in 2015, a significant event in the build up to the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

"UK Sport's National Lottery backed Gold Event Series has the ambitious goal of securing 70 of the world's top sporting events following London 2012, and this would be a great addition to our growing portfolio of Paralympic events."

Green and the University of Worcester's Institute of Sport and Exercise Science head, Mick Donovan, will travel to Germany to accept the IWBF Europe Flag during the Cosing Ceremony of this year's Championships in Frankfurt.

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