2026 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host countries | Denmark Hungary Spain Slovenia Hong Kong Croatia Estonia |
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.
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 Esbjerg, Denmark.[2][3] For the first time since 2011, Group A will not be seeded higher than Group B.[4]
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Czechia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Austria | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to 2025 Division I |
First match(es) will be played: 6 November 2026. Source:
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.
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
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Quarterfinals |
| 2 | Finland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Sweden | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Denmark (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to 2025 Division I |
First match(es) will be played: 6 November 2026. Source:
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
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
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | 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]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promoted to the 2027 Top Division |
| 2 | Hungary (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Slovakia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | China | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Italy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegated to the 2027 Division I B |
First match(es) will be played: 12 April 2026. Source:
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
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]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promoted to the 2027 Division I A |
| 2 | Latvia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Great Britain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Spain (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegated to the 2027 Division II A |
First match(es) will be played: 12 April 2026. Source:
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
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]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slovenia (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to the 2027 Division I B |
| 2 | Poland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Iceland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | North Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to the 2027 Division II B |
First match(es) will be played: 13 April 2026. Source:
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
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]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Promotion to the 2027 Division II A |
| 2 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | Ukraine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Hong Kong (H) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Lithuania | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Relegation to the 2027 Division III A |
First match(es) will be played: 30 March 2026. Source:
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
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 was held in Zagreb, Croatia from 23 February to 1 March 2026.[5]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania (P) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 11 | Promoted to the 2027 Division II A |
| 2 | Thailand | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 13 | +2 | 10 | |
| 3 | Turkey | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 15 | −1 | 9 | |
| 4 | Croatia (H) | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 11 | +5 | 8 | |
| 5 | Serbia | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 18 | −5 | 4 | |
| 6 | Bulgaria (R) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 20 | −10 | 3 | Relegated to the 2027 Division III B |
Source: IIHF
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; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
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; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Group B
The tournament will be held in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia from 28 February to 5 March 2026.[5]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estonia (H, P) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 3 | +34 | 15 | Promoted to the 2027 Division III A |
| 2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 12 | +13 | 12 | |
| 3 | South Africa | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 14 | −3 | 6[a] | |
| 4 | Israel | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 6[a] | |
| 5 | Philippines | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 19 | −4 | 6[a] | |
| 6 | Singapore | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 49 | −47 | 0 |
Source: IIHF
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; (P) Promoted
Notes:
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; (P) Promoted
Notes:
References
- ^ Kaplan, Emily (4 February 2025). "IIHF extends competition ban for Russia, Belarus". ESPN.com. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
- ^ Spencer, Donna (18 April 2025). "2026 women's hockey worlds to be held 2 months after Milan-Cortina Olympics". CBC. Retrieved 19 April 2025.
- ^ "IIHF moves the women's world hockey championship to November in 2026". sportsnet.ca. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
- ^ "Women's Worlds Preview: Group A". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. 7 April 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "A report from the IIHF Congress". IIHF. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.