IIHF increases roster size, revamps format for women’s hockey world championship
The International Ice Hockey Federation has revamped both the format and roster size for the women’s hockey world championship.
At the organization’s semi-annual congress on Saturday, it decided both the women’s world championship and under-18 championship will allow rosters of 22 skaters and three goalies on each team, which aligns with male rosters.
Women’s rosters were previously 20 skaters and three goalies.
‘Snake seeding’
The 2025 women’s world championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic will revert to “snake seeding” in the two groups of the 10-team tournament to create two pools of more equal rank.
That format is the same as the men’s world under-20 championship and women’s world under-18 championship.
In an attempt to reduce lopsided scores in the women’s championship, the IIHF began seeding the top countries in one pool and lower seeds in another in 2012.
The teams that finish last in each group will now play one relegation game to determine which returns to the top-tier tournament the next year.
Canada opens defence of its women’s world title April 10 against Finland in Ceske Budejovice Arena.
The Canadians defeated host United States 6-5 in overtime in Utica, N.Y., for the 2024 title.
The 2025 women’s world under-18 hockey championship Jan. 5-12 will be held in Vantaa, Finland. Canada was the bronze medallist in 2024.
The IIHF also announced measures to increase female representation on its council and committees.
Potential inclusion of 3×3 hockey at Olympics
It is also finalizing proposals to introduce three-on-three hockey to the Winter Olympics in 2030.
The International Olympic Committee will decide on its potential inclusion in March.
The IIHF is following the lead of basketball, which made its three-on-three debut in Tokyo’s 2021 Summer Olympics.
Hockey’s three-on-three inclusion would mean 240 more athletes for eight men’s and eight women’s teams in the Winter Olympics.
“The boost that 3×3 basketball, rugby sevens or beach volleyball had on the original discipline was something that they never expected. It had a huge impact on recruitment and financial opportunity,” IIHF president Luc Tardif said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.
“There is an open door for hockey. This is our time.”
