The IIHF Women’s European Cup of Nations gets underway today, Thursday, 20 August, marking the start of a new season of international women’s ice hockey. Group A sees Germany, France, Hungary and Norway take to the ice in Füssen, Germany, while Group B brings together Slovakia, Austria, Italy and the Netherlands in Bardejov, Slovakia, as the opening tournaments of the new competition begin.
Built around the international break calendar, the European Cup of Nations gives participating teams the opportunity to use these important windows for structured international competition.
The concept is straightforward: provide national teams with more opportunities to play meaningful games, develop players and build stronger teams.
For players, that means more chances to compete at the international level and gain experience representing their country. For coaches, the tournaments provide valuable opportunities to evaluate players, introduce new talent, test combinations and develop systems outside of IIHF World Championship competition.
Germany, for example, has selected 25 players for the opening tournament in Füssen, with head coach Jeff MacLeod highlighting the opportunity to experiment with different formations and combinations as the team begins its new season.
The benefits extend beyond the ice. National Member Associations have additional opportunities to host international hockey in their home markets, while fans can see their national teams compete more regularly throughout the season.
A season-long competition
Füssen and Bardejov are the starting point of a wider Women’s European Cup of Nations program that will run across several international windows.
The first round features four-team round-robin tournaments across Groups A–D between August and October, giving participating nations three competitive international games within each tournament window.
A second round will follow during the February international break, before the competition culminates with a six-team final in April.
Participation begins with the IIHF opening the competition to interested women’s national teams. The IIHF then selects the participating nations, assigns the tournament groups and works together with the respective hosts on schedules and tournament organization.
Investing in international women’s hockey
The IIHF plays an active role in supporting the European Cup of Nations, not only by coordinating the competition framework but also by providing financial support to participating teams and tournament hosts.
The objective is to make regular international competition more accessible and sustainable for Member National Associations and to create an environment in which more women's national teams can compete and develop throughout the season.
Regular international competition is an important part of that development. Every additional game provides players with experience, coaches with information and national programs with another opportunity to progress.
The opening tournaments in Füssen and Bardejov put that philosophy into action.
Eight national teams, two host cities and 12 games over three days will launch the first IIHF European Cup of Nations season, built around a simple ambition: More games. More competition. More opportunities.
Game Schedule: Women’s European Cup of Nations – Füssen
Thursday, 20 August
16:00 – Norway vs Hungary
19:30 – Germany vs France
Friday, 21 August
14:30 – Hungary vs France
18:00 – Germany vs Norway
Saturday, 22 August
11:00 – France vs Norway
14:30 – Germany vs Hungary
Game Schedule: Women’s European Cup of Nations – Bardejov
Thursday, 20 August
16:00 – Austria vs Italy
19:30 – Slovakia vs Netherlands
Friday, 21 August
14:30 – Italy vs Netherlands
18:00 – Slovakia vs Austria
Saturday, 22 August
11:00 – Netherlands vs Austria
14:30 – Slovakia vs Italy
Admission to all six games in Füssen is free, while the entire tournament will be broadcast live on IIHF.TV. Make sure to tune in to all the action!
Group A’s four nations will compete in a three-day round-robin tournament at the Bundesstützpunkt Füssen, with the action beginning on Thursday afternoon as Norway takes on Hungary, followed by hosts Germany against France in the evening. Meanwhile, Group B will get underway in Bardejov, Slovakia, where Austria faces Italy in the opening game before hosts Slovakia take on the Netherlands. Six games will be played in each group across the three days, with both tournaments concluding on Saturday, 22 August.
But the action in Füssen and Bardejov represents more than the beginning of a new international season. It marks the start of the inaugural IIHF Women’s European Cup of Nations, an international competition program designed to create more meaningful playing opportunities for women’s national teams throughout the season.
Making international breaks countBuilt around the international break calendar, the European Cup of Nations gives participating teams the opportunity to use these important windows for structured international competition.
The concept is straightforward: provide national teams with more opportunities to play meaningful games, develop players and build stronger teams.
For players, that means more chances to compete at the international level and gain experience representing their country. For coaches, the tournaments provide valuable opportunities to evaluate players, introduce new talent, test combinations and develop systems outside of IIHF World Championship competition.
Germany, for example, has selected 25 players for the opening tournament in Füssen, with head coach Jeff MacLeod highlighting the opportunity to experiment with different formations and combinations as the team begins its new season.
The benefits extend beyond the ice. National Member Associations have additional opportunities to host international hockey in their home markets, while fans can see their national teams compete more regularly throughout the season.
A season-long competition
Füssen and Bardejov are the starting point of a wider Women’s European Cup of Nations program that will run across several international windows.
The first round features four-team round-robin tournaments across Groups A–D between August and October, giving participating nations three competitive international games within each tournament window.
A second round will follow during the February international break, before the competition culminates with a six-team final in April.
Participation begins with the IIHF opening the competition to interested women’s national teams. The IIHF then selects the participating nations, assigns the tournament groups and works together with the respective hosts on schedules and tournament organization.
Investing in international women’s hockey
The IIHF plays an active role in supporting the European Cup of Nations, not only by coordinating the competition framework but also by providing financial support to participating teams and tournament hosts.
The objective is to make regular international competition more accessible and sustainable for Member National Associations and to create an environment in which more women's national teams can compete and develop throughout the season.
Regular international competition is an important part of that development. Every additional game provides players with experience, coaches with information and national programs with another opportunity to progress.
The opening tournaments in Füssen and Bardejov put that philosophy into action.
Eight national teams, two host cities and 12 games over three days will launch the first IIHF European Cup of Nations season, built around a simple ambition: More games. More competition. More opportunities.
Game Schedule: Women’s European Cup of Nations – Füssen
Thursday, 20 August
16:00 – Norway vs Hungary
19:30 – Germany vs France
Friday, 21 August
14:30 – Hungary vs France
18:00 – Germany vs Norway
Saturday, 22 August
11:00 – France vs Norway
14:30 – Germany vs Hungary
Game Schedule: Women’s European Cup of Nations – Bardejov
Thursday, 20 August
16:00 – Austria vs Italy
19:30 – Slovakia vs Netherlands
Friday, 21 August
14:30 – Italy vs Netherlands
18:00 – Slovakia vs Austria
Saturday, 22 August
11:00 – Netherlands vs Austria
14:30 – Slovakia vs Italy
Admission to all six games in Füssen is free, while the entire tournament will be broadcast live on IIHF.TV. Make sure to tune in to all the action!