The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament held at the 1920 Summer Olympics is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship. From 1920 to 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year.
The Russian men's national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of Russia, overseen by the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia. As of 2021, they were rated third in the IIHF World Ranking. The team has competed internationally from 1992 until it was provisionally suspended in 2022, and is recognized by the IIHF as the successor to the Soviet Union team and CIS team. Russia has been one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world and a member of the so-called "Big Six," the unofficial group of the six strongest men's ice hockey nations, along with Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. The European nations of the Big Six participate in the Euro Hockey Tour, which Russia won nine times since 2005. Since September 2021, the head coach is Alexei Zhamnov, who took over from Valeri Bragin.
The IIHF World Women's Championship, officially the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship, is the premier international tournament in women's ice hockey. It is governed by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The Finnish women's national ice hockey team represents Finland at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championships, the Olympic Games, the Four Nations Cup, and other international-level women's ice hockey competitions. The women's national team is overseen by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association and its general manager is Tuula Puputti. Finland's national women's program is ranked third in the world by the IIHF and had 5,858 active players as of 2019.
The Swedish women's national ice hockey team or Damkronorna represents Sweden at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World Women's Championships. The women's national team is organized by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. Sweden had 3,425 female players registered with the IIHF in 2011.
Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Marianne Ihalainen is a retired Finnish ice hockey forward. She won a bronze medal as captain of the Finnish national team at the 1998 Winter Olympics and also won six IIHF World Women's Championship bronze medals, four IIHF European Women Championships gold medals and one bronze while representing Finland and was eight time SM-sarja Finnish Champion with Ilves. Ihalainen is regarded as one of the pioneers of women’s ice hockey in Finland and she was one of the first women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Finland, alongside fellow trailblazer Riikka Sallinen.
Emma Kristiina Laaksonen Terho is a Finnish ice hockey executive, retired defenceman and the current Chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission. She previously served as general manager of Kiekko-Espoo Naiset in the Naisten Liiga. At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano she became the youngest Winter Olympian to medal for Finland, winning a bronze medal at the age of 16 years 54 days.
Hanna-Riikka Sallinen is a Finnish retired ice hockey, bandy, rinkball, and pesäpallo player. She is one of the most highly decorated players to have ever competed in international ice hockey.
Karoliina Stina Margaretha "Karo" Rantamäki is a Finnish ice hockey forward. She plays in the Naisten Liiga (NSML) with Kiekko-Espoo. She holds the all-time career record for games played with the Finnish women's national ice hockey team, having played in 256 top level international matches.
Minnamari "Minttu" Tuominen is a Finnish ice hockey player, currently playing in the Naisten Liiga (NSML) with Kiekko-Espoo. A member of the Finnish national ice hockey team since 2008, she has earned medals at three Winter Olympic Games and five IIHF World Women's Championships.
Jenni Hiirikoski is a Finnish ice hockey player and captain of the Finnish national team and Luleå HF/MSSK in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL).
Anna Vanhatalo is a Finnish retired ice hockey and ringette player and former member of the Finnish national ice hockey team and the Finnish national ringette team. Representing Finland, she won a bronze medal in the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. In 2004 and 2007, she won gold in the World Ringette Championships.
The 2013 IIHF Women's World Championship was the 15th world championship sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and was the last world championship before the 2014 Winter Olympics. The tournament was hosted in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and was primarily played in small community arenas, including the Nepean Sportsplex, but most games were held in Scotiabank Place arena.
Tea Sonja-Anastasia Villilä is a Finnish ice hockey defenseman, currently serving as alternate captain of Kiekko-Espoo in the Naisten Liiga (NSML). A member of the Finnish national team during 2010 to 2015, she won a bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF Women's World Championship and was part of the Finnish delegation at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Ella Viitasuo is a Finnish ice hockey player and member of the Finnish national team. She most recently played during the 2022–23 season with HV71 of the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL).
The 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship final was played on 14 April 2019, at Espoo Metro Areena in Espoo, Finland. The United States defeated Finland 2–1 in a shootout, to win its fifth consecutive and ninth overall title.
Sanni Rantala is a Finnish ice hockey player and member of the Finnish national team. She is signed with Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL) club Frölunda HC for the 2024–25 season.
Finland competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
