2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship

2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship
Tournament details
Host country Canada
Venue1 (in 1 host city)
Dates10–18 January 2026
Teams8
Official website
www.iihf.com

The 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship will be the 18th U18 Women's World Championship in ice hockey.[1][2]

Top Division

The Top Division tournament will be played in Membertou and Sydney, Canada, from 10 to 18 January 2026.[3]

Host selection

On 3 January 2025, Canada and the IIHF signed an agreement handing five IIHF women's competitions between 2026 and 2030 to Canada.[4][5]

Participants

Eight teams will take part in the competition. Hungary will return for the first time since 2014. They will replace Japan, who were immediately relegated back to the Division I after finishing last in 2025.

Qualification Host Dates Vacancies Qualified
Top seven in 2025 Vantaa 4–12 January 2025 7  Canada (H)
 United States
 Czechia
 Sweden
  Switzerland
 Finland
 Slovakia
Promoted from Division I Budapest 5–11 January 2025 1  Hungary

Summary of qualified teams

Team Qualification method Appearance(s) Previous best performance[a]
Total[b] First[b] Last[b] Streak[b]
 Canada First in 2025 18th 2008 2025 18 Champions (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025)
 United States Second in 2025 18 Champions (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2024)
 Czechia Third in 2025 18 Runners-up (2024)
 Sweden Fourth in 2025 18 Runners-up (2018, 2023)
  Switzerland Fifth in 2025 15th 11 Fifth place (2025)
 Finland Sixth in 2025 18th 18 Third place (2011, 2019, 2022)
 Slovakia Seventh in 2025 6th 2020 6 Sixth place (2022, 2023, 2024)
 Hungary Champions of Division I 3rd 2013 2014 1 Sixth place (2013)

Groups composition

The serpentine system was used to organise the groups (rankings in brackets).

Preliminary round

All times are local (UTC−4).

Group A

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Canada (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Quarterfinals
2  Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3   Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 10 January 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
10 January 2026
17:00		Sweden v HungarySport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
10 January 2026
20:30		Switzerland v CanadaSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
12 January 2026
11:00		Sweden v  SwitzerlandSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
12 January 2026
18:00		Canada v HungarySport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
13 January 2026
17:00		Canada v SwedenSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
13 January 2026
20:30		Hungary v  SwitzerlandSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou

Group B

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  Finland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Slovakia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 10 January 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
10 January 2026
10:00		Slovakia v United StatesSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
10 January 2026
13:30		Czechia v FinlandSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
11 January 2026
13:30		Finland v SlovakiaSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
11 January 2026
18:00		United States v CzechiaSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
13 January 2026
10:00		Czechia v SlovakiaSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou
13 January 2026
13:30		United States v FinlandSport and Wellness Centre, Membertou

Playoff round

Bracket

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
 
          
 
 15 January
 
 
1A
 
17 January
 
4B
 
 
 
 15 January
 
 
 
1B
 
18 January
 
4A
 
 
 
 15 January
 
 
 
2A
 
17 January
 
3B
 
 
 
 15 January
 
 Third place
 
2B
 
18 January
 
3A
 
 
 
 
 
 

Quarterfinals

15 January 2026
10:00		vCentre 200, Sydney
15 January 2026
13:30		vCentre 200, Sydney
15 January 2026
17:00		vCentre 200, Sydney
15 January 2026
20:30		vCentre 200, Sydney

Semifinals

17 January 2026
16:00		vCentre 200, Sydney
17 January 2026
19:30		vCentre 200, Sydney

Relegation game

17 January 2026
12:00		vCentre 200, Sydney

Bronze medal game

18 January 2026
15:30		vCentre 200, Sydney

Gold medal game

18 January 2026
19:30		vCentre 200, Sydney

Division I

Main article: 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship Division I

Group A

The tournament will be held in Ritten, Italy, from 12 to 18 January 2026.[6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1  Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the 2027 Top Division
2  Italy (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the 2027 Division I B
First match(es) will be played: 12 January 2026. 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

Group B

The tournament will be held in Katowice, Poland, from 5 to 11 January 2026.[6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1  Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the 2027 Division I A
2  Poland (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  China 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Australia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Great Britain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the 2027 Division II A
First match(es) will be played: 5 January 2026. 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

Division II

Main article: 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship Division II

Group A

The tournament will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, from 19 to 25 January 2026.[6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1  South Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the 2027 Division I B
2  Kazakhstan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Turkey (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the 2027 Division II B
First match(es) will be played: 19 January 2025. 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

Group B

The tournament will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 26 January to 1 February 2026.[6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1  Chinese Taipei 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the 2027 Division II A
2  Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Belgium 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  South Africa (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6  Romania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the 2027 Division III A
First match(es) will be played: 26 January 2026. 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

Division III

The tournament will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 29 January to 4 February 2026.[6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion
1  Thailand (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Promotion to the 2027 Division II B
2  Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Lithuania 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Bulgaria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5  Iran 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 29 January 2026. Source:
(H) Host

Notes

  1. ^ Bold text indicates they hosted that edition.
  2. ^ a b c d In top division. Results in tiers below are excluded.

References

  1. ^ "2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship (Top Division) official website". www.iihf.com.
  2. ^ "2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship (Top Division) tournament reports". stats.iihf.com.
  3. ^ "2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship Schedule Announced". IIHF. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  4. ^ https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2025/wm20/news/65170/hockey_canada_to_host_more_iihf_events
  5. ^ https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/iihf-womens-hockey-hosting-agreement-2024-25-corp
  6. ^ a b c d e "World Championships – World Women U18". IIHF. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
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