What to know about the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championship

Why is the tournament being held in November?

Since it's inception in 1990, the Women's Ice Hockey World Championship has almost always been held in the spring – apart from 2021 and 2022, when the COVID pandemic saw it moved to the summer. This year, though, the tournament, being hosted by Denmark from November 6 to November 16, is being held in November for the first time. The idea is make it easier for all of the world's best players to participate. Since its inception in 2023, the North America-based Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), widely considered the world's best, has had to pause its season to allow its players to take part in the Worlds. This is no longer necessary, as the PWHL's regular season doesn't open until December.

"This gives the women's game a unique selling point," International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) President Franz Reindl recently told the SID news agency. "Because the PWHL season begins after this, we can be certain that the very best players are participating."

How has the tournament format changed?

Previously, the teams were divided into a stronger group and a weaker group, with the idea being to avoid, as much as possible, lopsided scores. This is because women's hockey is not as balanced as the men's game, with Canada or the United States having won every tournament since its inception. Under the old system, all five teams in the stronger Group A advanced to the quarterfinals. Under the new format, four of the five teams advance from both groups. This also sees the two powerhouses, the USA and Canada in separate groups, meaning the marquis matchup can't occur early in the tournament.

Group A: USA, Czechia, Switzerland, Germany, Austria

Group B: Canada, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Denmark

Will Russia be competing at this tournament?

No. While the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on October 30, 2026 – a week before the opening faceoff of the Women's Ice Hockey World Championship – that the IIHF must allow Russia back into its tournaments during the 2026-2027 season, it made no mention of this tournament. Under the CAS ruling though, the IIHF will be required to include Russia at the 2027 tournament in Quebec City.

Who are the contenders?

As noted above, either Canada or the United States has won every edition of this tournament – and indeed the two countries have split Olympic gold medals between them (Canada 5, USA 3) since the sport was introduced to the Winter Games in 1998. There is nothing to suggest that this is about to change in Herning and Esbjerg, although Canada enters the tournament with a vastly different roster from the one that won Olympic silver in Milano in February. Among those looking to break this North American domination are Finland, the only other team ever to have made it to a World Championship final and Switzerland, who took bronze in Milano.

Why are the USA and Canada not wearing their traditional uniforms?

The United States and Canada are having to play in generic kits provided by the International Ice Hockey Federation's official supplier due to an ongoing commercial rights dispute. The Canadian federation, Hockey Canada, said in a statement on Wednesday that its players would be wearing jerseys designed by True Hockey instead of their Bauer jerseys featuring the national team logo. USA Hockey has confirmed that its players too will be wearing jerseys without its national emblem.

"While we have yet to see the jersey Canada will be playing in on Friday, our team remains focused on the tournament and representing our country proudly on and off the ice,” Hockey Canada said.