IIHF, PWHL not aligned over 2026 women’s hockey worlds scheduling
The decision on the host city for the 2026 women’s world hockey championship has been postponed by the International Ice Hockey Federation. This delay comes as a result of the complexities surrounding the scheduling of the championship, particularly with the emergence of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).
Originally, the IIHF had planned to align the women’s championship with the Olympic Games in 2022. However, the presence of the PWHL has created challenges in determining the timing and location of the 2026 tournament. As a result, the IIHF has pushed back the announcement of the host city until their semi-annual congress on October 3-4.
The 2022 championship took place in Denmark, following the conclusion of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. According to Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer, chair of the IIHF women’s committee, the original dates for the women’s championship are in March to early April as per the federation’s bylaws. The tournament in Denmark was considered a one-time deviation from this schedule.
However, the PWHL, now entering its third season, has expressed concerns about having two extended international breaks in close proximity. With the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina scheduled for February 6-22, the league is working closely with the IIHF and national federations to determine the best timing and location for the 2026 championship.
In the meantime, the PWHL is expanding with the addition of two new teams in Vancouver and Seattle for the upcoming season. The league’s second season recently concluded with the Minnesota Frost defending the Walter Cup after a 30-game regular season.
Despite efforts to gather feedback on potential changes to the world championship dates, the IIHF ultimately decided that it would be too late to make adjustments for the 2026 tournament. The international hockey calendar is already packed with various championships and tournaments throughout the year, including the men’s championship, world under-20 men’s championship, women’s under-18 championship, men’s under-18 championship, and NCAA women’s Frozen Four.
The United States emerged victorious in this year’s women’s world championship, defeating Canada 4-3 in overtime. With the 2026 host city still up in the air, fans will have to wait until October for the IIHF’s decision on where the next tournament will take place.
