The International Ice Hockey Federation has overhauled the format and number of players per team for the Women’s World Hockey Championships.
At a convention of the organization on Saturday, it decided that the World Women’s Hockey Championship and the World Under-18 Championship would allow teams of 25 players, 22 skaters and three goalkeepers, to match what was done on the male side.
The women’s teams previously consisted of 20 skaters and three goaltenders.
Also, the 2025 Women’s World Hockey Championship in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, will return to “snake seeding” in both groups of the 10-team tournament to create more equality.
This format is the same as the World Junior Hockey Championship as well as the World Women’s Under-18 Championship.
In an attempt to reduce imbalances in the women’s championship, the FIHG began in 2012 to classify the best countries in one group and the lowest ranked in another.
The teams that finish last in each group will now play a relegation match to determine which one will return to the top-tier tournament the following year.
Canada will begin the defense of its women’s world title on April 10 against Finland at the Ceske Budejovice Arena.
In 2024, the Canadians defeated the United States 6-5 in overtime for the title in Utica, New York.
The 2025 World Women’s Under-18 Championship will be held January 5-12 in Vantaa, Finland. Canada was the bronze medalist in 2024.
The FIHG also announced measures to increase female representation on its council and committees.
It is also finalizing proposals to introduce three-on-three hockey at the 2030 Winter Olympics. The International Olympic Committee will decide on its possible inclusion in March.
The FIHG is following the lead of basketball, which debuted three-on-three at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
The inclusion of three-on-three hockey would mean 240 more athletes for eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams at the Winter Olympics.