What to know about the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championship

Why is the tournament being held in November?

Since its inception in 1990, the Women's Ice Hockey World Championship has almost always been held in the spring — apart from 2021 and 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic saw it moved to the summer. This year, though, the tournament, being hosted by Denmark from November 6 to November 16, is being held in November for the first time.

The idea is make it easier for all of the world's best players to participate. Since its inception in 2023, the North America-based Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) , widely considered the world's best, has had to pause its season to allow players to take part in the Worlds. This is no longer necessary, as the PWHL's regular season doesn't open until December.

"This gives the women's game a unique selling point," International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Franz Reindl recently told the SID news agency. "Because the PWHL season begins after this, we can be certain that the very best players are participating."

Previously, the teams were divided into a stronger group and a weaker group, with the idea being to avoid, as much as possible, lopsided scores. This is because women's hockey is not as balanced as the men's game, with Canada or the United States having won every tournament since its inception.

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