ZURICH — The womenâ€s international hockey calendar is changing with the IIHF permanently shifting its annual world championships from April to November next year and launching a European womenâ€s championship tournament in 2027.
The European tournament was announced Monday by the International Ice Hockey Federation and PWHL, who collaborated “to reimagine the international calendar, aligning around a shared vision to grow the womenâ€s game and strengthen opportunities for players at every level.†The worlds decision was announced last week.
By shifting the world championships to November, the tournament will now serve as a lead-in to the start of the PWHL season in North America. Previously in its first two seasons, the league had to include a three-week pause in its schedule to account for the tournament in April.
The newly expanded eight-team PWHL will open its third season Nov. 21 and run through April 25 before opening the playoffs. The league had to factor in a four-week break to account for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in February.
“This collaboration marks an important step forward for our sport,†PWHL vice president Jayna Hefford said. “This unified approach is a win for the players, the fans, and the future of womenâ€s hockey.â€
Denmark will host next yearâ€s tournament, followed by Quebec City the following year.
The launch of the European championship was done to create more opportunities for international competition and further promote the womenâ€s game in Europe. The tournament will launch in April 2027, following the various European womenâ€s league playoffs, with further details to be determined later.
“This was a complex situation to solve and we have reached a landmark moment for womenâ€s hockey,†IIHF President Luc Tardif said. “The Womenâ€s World Championship is an important event for the growth of the game globally. … Working together with the PWHL, weâ€ve developed a calendar that preserves the integrity of international competition while avoiding significant interruptions to the league season.â€
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