2026 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships

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2026 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships
Tournament details
Host countriesFlag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
  2025
2027  

The 2026 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships will be the 29th such series of tournaments organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams will participate at several levels of competition based on their 2025 results. The competition will also serve as qualifications for division placements in the 2027 edition.

Contents

As in 2025, teams from Russia and Belarus will not be allowed to enter, as they remain suspended by the IIHF due to the countries' invasion of Ukraine. [1]

Championship (Top Division)

The tournament will be held from 6 to 16 November 2026 in Herning and another city to be determined, Denmark. [2] [3] For the first time since 2011, Group A will not be seeded higher than Group B. [4]

Group A

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States 000000000 Quarterfinals
2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 000000000
3Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 000000000
4Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 000000000
5Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 000000000Relegation to 2025 Division I
First match(es) will be played: 6 November 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.

Group B

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 000000000 Quarterfinals
2Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 000000000
3Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 000000000
4Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 000000000
5Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark (H)000000000Relegation to 2025 Division I
First match(es) will be played: 6 November 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Knockout stage

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinals Final
 
          
 
 
 
A1
 
 
 
B4
 
 
 
 
 
 
B2
 
 
 
A3
 
 
 
 
 
 
A2
 
 
 
B3
 
 
 
 
 Third place
 
B1
 
 
 
A4
 
 
 
 
 
 

Division I

Group A

The tournament will be held in Budapest, Hungary from 12 to 18 April 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 000000000Promoted to the 2027 Top Division
2Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary (H)000000000
3Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 000000000
4Flag of France.svg  France 000000000
5Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 000000000
6Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 000000000Relegated to the 2027 Division I B
First match(es) will be played: 12 April 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Group B

The tournament will be held in Puigcerdà, Spain from 12 to 18 April 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 000000000Promoted to the 2027 Division I A
2Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 000000000
3Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 000000000
4Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 000000000
5Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 000000000
6Flag of Spain.svg  Spain (H)000000000Relegated to the 2027 Division II A
First match(es) will be played: 12 April 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Division II

Group A

The tournament will be held in Bled, Slovenia from 13 to 19 April 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia (H)000000000Promoted to the 2027 Division I A
2Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 000000000
3Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 000000000
4Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 000000000
5Flag of North Korea.svg  North Korea 000000000
6Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 000000000Relegated to the 2027 Division II B
First match(es) will be played: 13 April 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Group B

The tournament will be held in Hong Kong from 30 March to 5 April 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 000000000Promoted to the 2027 Division II A
2Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 000000000
3Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 000000000
4Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 000000000
5Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong (H)000000000
6Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 000000000Relegated to the 2027 Division III A
First match(es) will be played: 30 March 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Division III

Group A

The tournament will be held in Zagreb, Croatia from 23 February to 1 March 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion or relegation
1Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 000000000Promoted to the 2027 Division II A
2Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 000000000
3Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 000000000
4Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 000000000
5Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia (H)000000000
6Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 000000000Relegated to the 2027 Division III B
First match(es) will be played: 23 February 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Group B

The tournament will be held in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia from 28 February to 5 March 2026. [5]

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsPromotion
1Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 000000000Promoted to the 2027 Division III A
2Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 000000000
3Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia (H)000000000
4Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina 000000000
5Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 000000000
6Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 000000000
First match(es) will be played: 28 February 2026. Source: [ citation needed ]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

References

  1. Kaplan, Emily (4 February 2025). "IIHF extends competition ban for Russia, Belarus". ESPN.com. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  2. Spencer, Donna (18 April 2025). "2026 women's hockey worlds to be held 2 months after Milan-Cortina Olympics". CBC. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  3. "IIHF moves the women's world hockey championship to November in 2026". sportsnet.ca. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
  4. "Women's Worlds Preview: Group A". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "A report from the IIHF Congress". IIHF. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.