The annual IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend (WGIHW) is back for its 14th edition over the weekend of Oct. 17-19, 2025.

The event has grown into a truly global affair, with more than 30 countries across six continents taking part last year.

It’s a time when rinks open their doors to thousands of girls and women, inviting them to take part in hockey events – often trying the game for the first time.

And this IIHF event marks the start of another exciting season for the women’s game. At the highest level, next year’s Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina is the obvious stand-out. We’re also looking forward to January’s 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship (Sydney & Membertou, Canada) and, in November 2026, the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship (Denmark). 

In the club game, the PWHL starts its expansion season next month and many of Europe’s top leagues have already started their campaigns.

But none of that elite-level excitement would be possible without strong grassroots. WGIHW brings women and girls together at the start of their hockey journeys, introducing people to the game and forging new friendships through our wonderful sport.

Want to follow the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend? Our tracker, below, will be updated all weekend long. Make sure to follow @iihfhockey on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates during the weekend and use the official hashtag #WGIHW.

Bayan, Kuwait

Inspiration and excitement were the watchwords in Kuwait, where about 60 girls aged 4-15 came to the KWGC Ice Rink in Bayan. A combination of on-ice skating and stick-handling drills, plus fun relays and skill challenges provided a perfect introduction to the game for many newcomers. The event culminated in a celebratory dance on the ice, with Kuwaiti flags flying high amid chants of “Girls Can Play Hockey Too!” Parents were proud to see their daughters’ teamwork and enthusiasm, and many of the first-time players were talking eagerly about “coming back next week to play again”. We’re looking forward to seeing new players joining the hockey scene here in Kuwait.

Minsk, Belarus

Minsk Arena, the 2014 IIHF World Championship venue, hosted the biggest WGIHW event in Belarus with more than 80 girls aged 6-7 taking part. They came from more than 15 towns and cities across the country and were welcomed by players from the Belarusian National Women’s Team and Dinamo Minsk. For many of these youngsters, the chance to skate with people they had previously only seen on TV was a big thrill.

Saturday’s on-ice program was tailored to different skill levels: some girls were trying hockey for the first time, others had some experience in their hometowns. Sofia Ibragimova from Bobruisk said: “I love ice hockey. My brother taught me how to skate when I went to one of his practices, but I’ve never played like this before. I really enjoyed it today; the coaches are great.”

Alexander Bogdanovich, chairman of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation, pointed out that not long ago there were just 60 girls playing the game throughout Belarus. This weekend brought more than 80 girls to Minsk, with many other events across the country. “Girls play at every ice hockey school in Belarus, which is a testament to the active development and popularity of women's hockey in our country,” he added.

And the WGIHW program reached across the nation. Clubs from 10 other towns and cities are involved in 2025: Pinsk, Mogilyov, Gomel, Vitebsk, Orsha, Zhlobin, Novopolotsk, Gorki, Ostrovets and Grodno.

Muscat, Oman

In Muscat, World Girl’s Ice Hockey Weekend coincided with Omani Women’s Day on October 17. What better way to mark the occasion than heading to the local rink to play some hockey? And, as well as all the fun and games, there was a special cake to celebrate the big day.

Mexico City, Mexico

Skates replaced shopping at Mexico City’s Buenavista mall as 30 players launched the Minor Girls’ Hockey League season. And the event at Ice Station was such a hit that it had to be extended for an extra hour.

Players from Mexico’s U18 national team helped to take two groups of girls – one for u13s, the other for teenagers – through several drills. Thus inspired, the younger players stayed on for another hour honing their new skills and playing games.

Saturday’s event encouraged people to commit to the upcoming league season, while the U18 players enjoyed remembering their first steps in the sport – and perhaps helping future team-mates begin their hockey journeys.

“One of the youngest players demonstrated the drill, and she surprised everyone, including the coach and the U-18 team, with her almost perfect form for such a small girl,” said Hockey Mexico’s Mireya Ayala. “Everyone on the rink applauded her by banging the ice with their sticks. The girl's smile was unforgettable.”
 

Nottingham, Great Britain

In Britain, 26 players aged 6-40 joined the Nottingham Vipers at the National Ice Centre. After an introduction session on ice, they played a mini game to test their new-found skills. And all were invited to join the Vipers and come to the team’s upcoming games.

WGIHW is big part of the Vipers’ development. Over the past two years the club has gone from one team to three, with total membership climbing to more than 80 players.

And comments from parents suggest there will be more new recruits after this year’s event: “My daughter has just started skating and rarely gets the chance to go on the ice with a stick and puck,” said one proud mum. “This event gave her that opportunity and she’s already buzzing for the next time!”

Hong Kong

The sisterhood stood tall in Hong Kong, where 94 participants – the youngest born in 2021 – came to the city’s Mega Ice rink for an event on Tuesday evening. It’s more than 30 years since Hong Kong, China got its first women’s team and since then the sport has grown in popularity. Some national team players became celebrities, with one getting her own ice hockey TV series.

Players from the 2023 Division IIIA title-winning team were part of the event, which introduced the game to 51 newcomers. The event was an inspiration for many of the girls, who were excited to see how vibrant the women’s game is in Hong Kong. “After this event we saw and heard many social media postings about ‘sisterhood’ which gives a really positive message from what we have created and achieved here,” said Adrienne Li, General Secretary of the Hong Kong, China Ice Hockey Association.

Kish Island and Tehran, Iran

The tropical island of Kish in Southern Iran held its first ever international standard ice hockey event as part of the country’s fourth consecutive involvement in the IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. Kish Island joined the capital, Tehran, in staging events that attracted more than 100 young girls onto the ice. Many of them came from Learn to Play program, others were trying out the game for the first time.

National team players and coaches at both venues guided the girls through fun skating sessions, skill games, and a symbolic mixed friendly match that united new and experienced skaters on the same teams. After another successful year, Iran plans to stage WGIHW events in more cities next year as the nation’s ice sport infrastructure grows.

Sofia, Bulgaria

Around 26 girls at age 10 to 35 from local teams and Bulgarian U18 and Women’s National Teams came to Slavia Ice Rink in Sofia. At the beginning these were separated in groups according to age and experience. There were different exercises for each group – skating, passing, shooting, puck handling. “The girls had so much fun on the ice,” said former national team player Vanesa Gergieva. “They were all extremely excited and happy to play side by side with members of the U18 and Women’s National Teams.”
 

Novi Sad, Serbia

Most of this year’s players in Novi Sad, Serbia, were from the U10s and older groups. But the party also included one four-year-old – plus the baby girl of one of the head coaches, who was adopted as a mascot for Serbian women’s hockey. HK Vojvodina hosted an event that shared the joy and passion of ice hockey with all the girls. The youngsters had two hours on the ice, with plenty of fun and some useful skills and drills.

“Seeing the smiles, support and teamwork that ruled the ice was priceless,” said Nemanja Jankovic of the Serbian Ice Hockey Association. “These beautiful and inspiring moments are what makes hockey special.”

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sunday was Mother’s Day in Argentina, and at Fantasy Skate in Buenos Aires, moms and daughters got together to play some hockey. There were about 15 girls involved, aged 8-15, joining an event at the specially decorated rink. Players from the national team spent an hour on the ice with the youngsters, some of whom were skating for the first time.

“Before entering the ice, some of the girls were nervous about trying the sport,” explained Jorge Haiek of the Argentina Ice Hockey Assocation. “We asked our girls from the national team to identify the girls who needed a little more encouragement, to talk to them, and make them feel safe. All the girls left the ice with a smile on their face, and a balloon!”

In Argentina, hockey is still developing. Events like WGIHW help to reach new players and bring through the next generation.

Hasselt, Belgium

Haskey Hasselt joined the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation to host its IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend event on Sunday. Nearly 40 girls took part, aged from six to 49, supported by players from the national team.

There were five rookies who came along as part of a successive “Bring a Friend” initiative. They joined their more experienced colleagues in a two-hour session on the ice. Tim Vos, head coach of the Women’s National Team, and several of his players, took charge of the practice stations in the first part of the morning, with three aspiring Learn to Play coaches also gaining practical experience. And there was plenty of time for fun as well, with the second half of the day devoted to game-based drills and mini contests. Lots of positive feedback from all concerned highlighted the importance of WGIHW in helping new players access hockey and encouraging existing players to develop in a supportive community.

Prague, Czechia

Czech national team stars Aneta Tejralova, Kristyna Kaltounkova, Daniela Pejsova and Karolina Kosinova were on hand to coach a group of 40 girls aged 11-13 at Sunday’s event in Prague. After a warm-up session, the girls played a friendly game – team pink vs team white – under the guidance of the pros. Later, there was an autograph and photo session.

 

For the girls, it was a real highlight. The chance to meet some of the biggest players in Czech women’s hockey made it a special occasion and helped to promote girls’ hockey in a friendly, supportive environment.

And there was a serious message away from sport, with the day dedicated to supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Czech Ice Hockey’s “Don’t be Afraid to Win” campaign. Players, parents and organizers all wore pink elements to show their support, creating a fun and positive atmosphere throughout the event.

Suwon, Korea

In Korea, eight girls aged 9-14 came to the national women’s team training base in Suwon for a special session with some of the country’s top players. They had a 90-minute on-ice practice, gaining 1:1 coaching from members of the national team. Despite some initial nerves, everyone quickly settled into the session, enjoying themselves and learning a lot from the experience. The youngsters were impressed with how well the senior players helped them to feel comfortable and develop their skills, and several are hoping to encourage their friends to join them in the sport. 

The Korea Ice Hockey Association is keen to build on Friday’s event and make WGIHW an annual tradition. It is looking forward to a growing buzz around girls’ hockey, leading to increased participation and better retention of young players. In addition, events like this weekend forge tighter connections between grassroots and elite levels.

Canillo, Andorra

High in the Pyrenees, hockey continues to make progress in Andorra. The country, twice a host of the IIHF Development Cup, took the opportunity to attract new players during World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. In total, 15 players aged 5-64 took part in the event at the Palau de Gel in Canillo. After a brief introduction, the participants tackled some skating exercises, culminating in a non-contact game. The event was a success, with several people hoping to get involved in hockey more regularly. 

Various cities, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s WGIHW program visited several cities. There were special events for girls in the hockey heartlands of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Karaganda, as well as Almaty and the capital, Astana. At each venue, girls had a chance to pick up hockey skills as well as playing fun games and races. For Viktoriya Sazonova, Director of Women’s Hockey Development in Kazakhstan, the events helped grab the attention of girls across the country. Publicity before the weekend and photos appearing on social media afterwards help to increase visibility for women’s hockey in Kazakhstan. Most of the events attracted very young girls to the ice, starting from age four, suggesting there’s a bright future ahead.

Tallinn, Estonia

It was a short step from trying hockey for the first time to joining the local team for several players at Tallinn’s World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend event. Saturday’s session was set up by the Grizzlyz club at the Tondiraba Ice Hall and it went down a storm. The participants were smiling all day and many were reluctant to leave the ice. A few girls decided to join the club on the spot and came to their first regular practice the very next day.

The Grizzlyz welcomed about 20 participants, mostly aged 8-15 but reinforced with a few moms who took the chance to try out alongside their daughters. After some skating drills and stick-handling exercises, players were divided into three groups to play a friendly game with team-mates at similar skill levels.

Riga, Latvia

Lauvas women’s hockey club and Kurbads hockey school hosted the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation’s WGIHW event in Riga. There were 36 participants, the youngest of whom was just three. Everyone got a tour of the Kurbads Ice Hall and a chance to meet players and coaches from Lauvas, the hockey school and the federation. Then it was time to get kitted up and take to the ice alongside players from Latvia’s national team. After the official session was over, many people took the chance to stay and watch the Baltic Women’s Hockey Championship game between Kurbads / Lauvas and Klaipeda of Lithuania.

Milan and Bolzano, Italy

At the start of this Olympic season, host city Milan took part in the WGIHW. The Diavoli Rossoneri Hockey Club and Palasesto rink ran successful sessions for under 10s and 10+ age groups on Saturday, inspiring plans to build on this as the city enjoys the winter sports spotlight in the coming months. 

On Sunday, Italy’s Ice Sports Federation (FISG) staged another event in Bolzano. The Sparkasse Arena welcomed 30 girls registered with the federation, plus five who were trying hockey for the first time. They worked with players and coaches from teams in Italy’s top flight women’s league and also heard from a female referee about her journey in the sport. This highlighted a range of opportunities that might sometimes be overlooked.

The day was a success, and much of the feedback urged similar events more frequently. Alessia Bolech, of the FISG, said: “WGIHW helps Italy introduce ice hockey to more young people, specifically girls. And it enables athletes who are already involved to learn more about future opportunities.

“It helps players and newcomers get to know the women’s hockey community.”

Jyvaskyla, Finland

In Finland there were 54 events in total. Many of them took place in advance of the official World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend to fit in with school holidays. With a celebration of girls hockey up and down the country, there was room for one event on the weekend itself, in Jyvaskyla.

That Jyvaskyla event ran in partnership with the city’s Liiga team, JYP. As well as two players from the men’s team joining the girls on the ice, JYP promoted the girls’ teams during their game on Saturday evening. There was also a fundraising push to support the girls’ spring tour.

“This is an excellent example of collaboration between our club and the men’s league team. The impact was huge!” said Maarit Makarainen, a coach with the JYP girls’ team. “The event helps to draw attention to something that does not always get much visibility in everyday life.”

Jyvaskyla welcomed 20 girls aged 5-12 for a session on the ice before they showed off their cellies to JYP’s mascot, Myrsky, and the guest players.
 

Sisak and Karlovac, Croatia

Croatia staged two WGIHW events, one hosted by HK Siscia and KHL Sisak on ice in Sisak, the other at Admiral Karlovac’s inline hockey rink. There were 20 girls involved in total, aged 8-18.

At both events, whether on ice or on wheels, the players practiced skating and stick-handling skills, trying out different drills and playing games. As a sporting event, and also as a social occasion, the day was a great success in both venues.

For Croatian women’s hockey, events like WGIHW are vital to attract new players. After several years’ involvement, the Croatian Ice Hockey Association is seeing more new players from outside established hockey families, helping to build a stronger and more inclusive hockey community.
 

Various cities, Spain

Nine venues across Spain took part in this year’s World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. For clubs with established women’s and girls’ teams it was a chance to attract new players. For clubs still developing the female game, it was an opportunity to celebrate the girls already involved in their junior set-ups.

There were events in San Sebastian, Logrono, Valdemoro, Majadahonda, Puigcerda, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Jaca and Huarte, with more to come in Barcelona next weekend. In total, more than 120 girls took part, aged from five upwards.

The biggest single event was at Txuri Urdin in San Sebastian. Irene Cenac, head coach of the club’s women’s and girls’ section, felt that the day showed the potential for women as players and coaches. “There is a shortage of female coaches in our country, yet this event demonstrated that when the opportunity is provided, there is a strong positive response from women-led groups,” she said. “And our youngest participants, who had never played the sport before, were the ones who danced, sang and rolled around on the ice the most – having an absolute blast.”

Various cities, Turkiye

There were eight separate events in the Turkish leg of World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend, straddling the length of the country from Istanbul in the west to Kars in the east. More than 300 girls aged 9-12 attended sessions in Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Erzurum, Istanbul, Kars, Kocaeli and Samsun.

At each venue the girls had about an hour on the ice, practicing basic skating and hockey skills before progressing into small fun games. The event was well-received by parents and there was lots of laughter during the mini games. Everybody went home smiling and many families are looking forward to coming back soon.

Fukuoka, Japan

Members of Japan’s Olympic women’s hockey teams worked with 42 girls and young women on and off the ice. The program started with a workshop about discovering identity, in which the Olympians shared their experience in competing at the highest level of world sport.

Then came the on-ice session, where members of Japan’s national team coached participants aged 9-22.

For the youngsters, it was a great opportunity. One of them said afterwards: “From our Olympians, I learned about the importance of never giving up on playing with fun, and in the team-building we learned about communication with team-mates. Most of all, we learned to appreciate and make the most of every environment we encounter.”
 

Various cities, USA

USA Hockey is always keen to be at the forefront of celebrating girls’ hockey. This year, it helped to organize 101 events across the country, with more than 3,000 participants in World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend. Hosts ranged from NHL teams to community hockey clubs; the largest single turn-out was 150 with the Carolina Hurricanes but every session, large or small, did a great job in encouraging and promoting girls in our sport.

Brest, France

After a successful day in Brest the local Albatros club had at least 10 new recruits for its girls’ program. In total, 28 players aged 4-12 came to play. They had an introduction to hockey in France and worldwide emphasizing the rise of the women’s game. Then it was onto the ice for a 90-minute session of practice drills and mini games. Many of the girls are eager to come back for more: the Albatros club has signed up several new players following a great recruiting day.

Various cities, Norway

WGIHW is getting bigger and bigger in Norway. This year, the country hosted 20 events, with hundreds of girls taking part. Many clubs followed a familiar format of opening their doors for a free practice session and encouraging girls onto the ice – often for the first time. But Oslo’s Hasle Loren club tried a different tactic.

Instead of focusing directly on sport, the event was an ice disco. This was a way of getting girls to lace up their skates and try some drills amid music and dance. And it works. For a community club, it’s a proven way of attracting attention in the neighbourhood. Hege Rooth Olbergsveen, team leader for the U12s, said: “We use this event to recruit players to our club and we talked to many parents. Most of them were very happy and we hope we will have new players.

“I think this event raises awareness of what our club can offer girls.”

Meanwhile, one of the biggest events was at the Stavanger Oilers’ DNB Arena. With 90 girls aged 7-10, this was a showcase for the club’s younger age-groups and a chance for them to meet players from the elite women’s team ahead of their home game at the weekend.
 

Sao Paulo, Brazil

The Brazilian leg of World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend brought together national team players and a sports psychologist to introduce the game to 41 players. Most of the guests on the day were aged 18-35, but the full age range ran from 6-61.

The session combined activities on and off the ice, introducing the game to a number of new players and also providing context on the rise of women’s sports in Brazil and discussing the mental health and leadership benefits offered by forming part of a team. The day coincided with the IIHF Leadership Seminar.

Event organizer Marin Motta, of the Brazil Ice Sports Federation, received positive feedback from parents. “They commented that their daughters had a lot of fun with th e activities, especially because they had the help of athletes from the Brazilian ice hockey team, whom they can begin to see as future idols in the sport.”
 

Tangerang, Indonesia

Before this year’s event in Indonesia, some of the 33 newcomers thought hockey was “golf on the ice”. By the end of the afternoon at the rink in Supermall Karawaci, several were signing up for further coaching sessions.

The lack of prior knowledge was due in part to an active approach to getting people onto the ice: at least eight participants signed up on the day when they found out about the event. The youngest players was six years old, and 21 of the group were under 15.

Most of the girls were skating for the first time, but after an hour’s practice many of them were ready to tackle a game session in the second half of the event.
 

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

The WGIHW event in Luxembourg exceeded expectations, with about 20 first-timers trying out hockey with the Tornado and Huskies clubs at the Kockelscheier rink.

The mood was laid back, with the emphasis on getting as much ice time as possible to give participants – who were aged from 4-50 – a real taste of the game.

Georges Clees of Huskies Luxembourg, one of the event organizers, said there were plans to repeat this kind of open day regularly. “We had many more girls than we anticipated so we will try to do these events more often,” he said. “Everyone liked and many of them wanted to join the team. But we definitely need more rinks in Luxembourg to grow the sport.”
 

Athens, Greece

The second year of World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend in Greece brought 14 girls aged 6-13 onto the ice. The 2025 edition was hosted with help from experienced female players, helping to establish links through all levels of the women’s game in the country. They were on hand to share their skills and experience, and encouraged many of the newcomers to join up with their local clubs. The whole event helped to gain exposure for women’s hockey – an important first step, but one to be backed up with further efforts to keep this year’s triallists in the game.

North Bay, Canada

World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend 2025 was a nationwide celebration in Canada, where more than 11,000 people got involved in 55 different events across the country. One of the highlights was in North Bay, Ontario, where the event coincided with local Fall North Bay Tournament.

Under the slogan “See them, be them” youth girls teams had a day of games and practice culminating in a capacity crowd to watch the local Nipissing Lakers game. Members of the Lakers’ U9s got to play an exhibition game during one of the intermissions, and players from the senior team were involved throughout the day for photo and autograph sessions, as well as answering questions from the youngsters.

“For a small community like North Bay to host such a successful large-scale women’s hockey game is so special,” said Tessa Kosec, Lakers alternate captain. “For both the fans watching, and for myself getting to play in the game, the opportunity to have a packed arena was so exciting. The support that we had, especially from the tight knit hockey community in North Bay, made the game such an unforgettable opportunity for everyone who was there.” 

And seven-year-old Junior Laker Tessa added: “It was so much fun. There were so many people watching us play during intermission! I was so happy!”