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Ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Women's qualification

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Qualification for the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be determined by the IIHF World Ranking following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. The host along with the top six teams in the world ranking receive automatic berths into the Olympics, while all other teams have an opportunity to qualify for the remaining three spots.[1] The participation of Russia is not yet confirmed and depends on if the team is allowed to return to the IIHF Championship program.[2]

Qualified teams

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Event Date Location Vacancies Qualified
Hosts 1  Italy
2024 IIHF World Ranking[a] 20 August 2021 – 14 April 2024 United States Utica[b] 6  Canada
 United States
 Finland
 Czech Republic
 Switzerland
 Russia[c]
Final qualification tournaments 6 – 9 February 2025 Japan Tomakomai 1
Sweden Gävle 1
Germany Bremerhaven 1
Total 10
Notes
  1. b Utica was the site of the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship; at the conclusion of the tournament the direct qualification slots were finalized, however final qualification ranking was not determined until the completion of the Division IA tournament in Klagenfurt on April 27.
  2. c The participation of Russia is not yet confirmed and depends on if the team is allowed to return to the IIHF World Championship program.

Qualification seeding

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To qualify directly, a nation has to be ranked in the top six following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. In the IIHF World Ranking system, ranking points from the most recent year are weighted at full value, and points from each preceding year are worth 25% less. The table below represents the standings of the 45 current participants, and Russia (whose status is yet to be determined).

     Qualified directly to Olympic tournament
     Entered in Final Olympic qualification
     Entered in Round 2
     Entered in Round 1 (cancelled)
     Did not enter Olympic qualification
Qualifying seed Team WC2024
(100%)
WC2023
(75%)
WC2022
(50%)
OLY2022
(50%)
WC2021
(25%)
Total
1  Canada 1600 1560 1200 1200 1200 4270
2  United States 1560 1600 1160 1160 1160 4210
3  Finland 1520 1460 1040 1120 1120 3975
4  Czechia 1500 1520 1120 1020 1020 3965
5   Switzerland 1460 1500 1100 1100 1100 3960
6  Russia 1440 1460 1100 1060 1060 3880
7  Japan 1400 1420 1060 1040 1040 3775
8  Sweden 1420 1440 1020 1000 960 3750
9  Germany 1440 1400 960 860 1000 3650
10  Hungary 1300 1360 1000 920 960 3520
11  Denmark 1340 1300 940 940 940 3490
12  China 1360 1320 820 960 740 3425
13  France 1280 1340 920 880 920 3415
14  Norway 1320 1240 900 840 880 3340
15  Austria 1260 1280 860 900 860 3315
16  Slovakia 1200 1220 880 820 840 3175
17  Netherlands 1240 1260 840 740 780 3170
18  South Korea 1220 1200 740 780 800 3080
Host  Italy 1160 1160 780 800 820 3025
19  Poland 1100 1180 800 760 760 2955
20  Great Britain 1140 1120 700 720 660 2855
21  Slovenia 1120 1140 720 680 680 2845
22  Kazakhstan 1080 1100 760 660 720 2795
23  Spain 1060 1060 660 700 640 2695
24  Mexico 1040 1040 620 640 620 2605
25  Chinese Taipei 1020 1020 640 620 540 2550
26  Latvia 1180 1080 680 0 700 2505
27  Iceland 1000 1000 580 600 520 2470
28  Turkey 880 860 540 580 580 2230
 Hong Kong 920 840 360 560 460 2125
 Australia 940 940 560 0 560 2065
 Belgium 980 960 460 0 400 2030
 New Zealand 900 920 540 0 500 1985
29  Lithuania 800 800 440 520 340 1965
 South Africa 860 900 520 0 420 1900
30  Bulgaria 740 760 420 540 360 1880
31  Croatia 760 880 500 0 480 1790
 Ukraine 840 820 460 0 380 1780
32  Romania 820 780 420 0 440 1725
33  Estonia 700 740 340 0 320 1505
34  Serbia 780 720 320 0 0 1480
 North Korea 960 0 620 0 600 1420
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 640 680 300 0 300 1375
 Israel 680 700 280 0 0 1345
35  Thailand 720 0 0 0 0 720
 Singapore 660 0 0 0 0 660

Olympic qualification Round 1

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This round was canceled.[3] It was meant to take place between 7–10 November, 2024, and consist of three groups of teams ranked 25th or lower.[1][4] Teams entered in Group A were Chinese Taipei, Bulgaria and Croatia; teams in Group B were Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Thailand; and teams in Group C were Iceland, Turkey, Estonia and Serbia.[4]

The three highest ranked teams, Chinese Taipei, Latvia and Iceland, advanced to Round 2.[5]

Olympic qualification Round 2

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Twelve countries will play in three tournaments 12–15 December, 2024, involving nations ranked 16th to 24th and those who advanced from Round 1 (named Qualifier 4, 5, and 6). If nations decline to participate then those ranked lower will move up to fill their place.[1]

Group D

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Group D
Tournament details
Host country Slovakia
CityPiešťany
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates12–15 December
Teams4
Official website
IIHF

The tournament will be held in Piešťany, Slovakia.[3]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Slovakia (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final qualification
2  Slovenia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Kazakhstan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Iceland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 12 December 2024. Source: [citation needed]
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

All times are local (UTC+1).

12 December 2024
14:00
Slovenia v IcelandPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany
12 December 2024
18:00
Slovakia v KazakhstanPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany

14 December 2024
14:00
Slovenia v KazakhstanPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany
14 December 2024
18:00
Iceland v SlovakiaPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany

15 December 2024
14:00
Kazakhstan v IcelandPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany
15 December 2024
18:00
Slovakia v SloveniaPatrícia Ice Arena 37, Piešťany

Group E

[edit]
Group E
Tournament details
Host country Great Britain
CitySheffield
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates12–15 December
Teams4
Official website
IIHF

The tournament will be held in Sheffield, Great Britain.[3][6]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final qualification
2  Great Britain (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 12 December 2024. Source: [citation needed]
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

All times are local (UTC±0).

12 December 2024
12:30
Netherlands v SpainiceSheffield, Sheffield
12 December 2024
16:00
Great Britain v LatviaiceSheffield, Sheffield

14 December 2024
12:30
Latvia v NetherlandsiceSheffield, Sheffield
14 December 2024
16:00
Great Britain v SpainiceSheffield, Sheffield

15 December 2024
12:30
Spain v LatviaiceSheffield, Sheffield
15 December 2024
16:00
Netherlands v Great BritainiceSheffield, Sheffield

Group F

[edit]
Group D
Tournament details
Host country Poland
CityBytom
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Dates12–15 December
Teams4
Official website
IIHF

The tournament will be held in Bytom, Poland.[3]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final qualification
2  Poland (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4  Chinese Taipei 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 12 December 2024. Source: [citation needed]
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

All times are local (UTC+1).

12 December 2024
14:30
South Korea v MexicoBytom Arena, Bytom
12 December 2024
18:30
Poland v Chinese TaipeiBytom Arena, Bytom

14 December 2024
14:30
Chinese Taipei v South KoreaBytom Arena, Bytom
14 December 2024
18:30
Poland v MexicoBytom Arena, Bytom

15 December 2024
12:15
Mexico v Chinese TaipeiBytom Arena, Bytom
15 December 2024
16:15
South Korea v PolandBytom Arena, Bytom

Final Olympic qualification

[edit]

Twelve countries will play in three tournaments 6–9 February, 2025 involving nations ranked 7th to 15th, and the three winners of the Round 2 tournaments. The winners advance to the Olympic tournament and play in group B.[1]

Group G

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This tournament will take place in Tomakomai, Japan.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 Winter Olympics
2  China 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Qualifier 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 6 February 2025. Source: [citation needed]
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.

Group H

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This tournament will take place in Gävle, Sweden.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 Winter Olympics
2  Denmark 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Norway 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Qualifier 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 6 February 2025. Source: [citation needed]
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.

Group I

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The tournament will be held in Bremerhaven, Germany.[3]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2026 Winter Olympics
2  Hungary 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3  Austria 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Qualifier 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 6 February 2025. Source: [citation needed]
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.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Qualification System – XXV Olympic Winter Games" (PDF). Olympics.com. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Russia, Belarus banned from international hockey world championships next season". CBC.ca. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "CALENDAR OF EVENTS As of FRI 21 JUN 2024" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  4. ^ a b "Women's National Team Qualification Groups for the 2026 Olympic Games". National Teams of Ice Hockey - Information about hockey around the world. 2024-05-20. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  5. ^ "Tournaments (Olympic Qualifications 2025)". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
  6. ^ Ellis, Chris (6 September 2024). "16TH SEPT: TICKETS FOR WOMEN'S OQ ON SALE". Ice Hockey UK. Retrieved 6 September 2024.