# Women's ice hockey in Sweden

Ice hockey is one of Sweden's most popular sports and participation in women's ice hockey is increasing; the number of registered women's ice hockey players in Sweden increased from 3,425 in 2011 to 5,973 in 2020.

## History

The first organized women's ice hockey game in Sweden was played in 1969 between Modo AIK and Timrå IK. The Swedish women's national team played its first games in April 1987, during the 1987 Women's World Tournament in Ontario, Canada.
The first, unofficial National Championship was played in 1985. Three unofficial championships were held, in 1984–85, 1985–86, and 1986–87. The championships were played with round-robin tournament structure. Nacka HK won the National Championship title in all three seasons.
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association (SIF) established the first, official Swedish Championship for the 1987–88 season. Division 1 served as the qualifying league for the Swedish Championship. This league had a variable number of teams distributed into some small regional leagues, followed by a national playoff.
During the 2007–08 season, the best Division 1 teams qualified for a new league, the Riksserien (‘National Series’), which became the top-tier league. Division 1 became the second level of women's hockey in Sweden. The Riksserien comprised eight teams. Each team would face the seven opposing teams in four games, two at home and two away. The top two teams at the end of the regular season would qualify for the semi-finals. The teams classified in third to sixth place would each play a three-game playoff qualifying series. In the semifinals, the match for the third place and final depend on a simple match. The teams ranked seventh and eighth at the end of the regular season would face the top two from Division 1 in a promotion/relegation series to remain in the Swedish Women's Hockey League or be relegated Division 1
The Riksserien was reorganized and rebranded as the Svenska damhockeyligan (SDHL, lit. 'Swedish Women's Hockey League') prior to the 2016–17 season. The change was meant to increase public interest and sponsorship of the teams by branding the league in the style of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and to encourage SHL teams to promote their sister teams.

## Domestic league structure

* Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL; Swedish: Svenska damhockeyligan), organized by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association
** 10 teams
** 36 games in regular season
** Playoffs for top eight teams, winner is named Swedish Ice Hockey Champion
** Bottom two teams progress to qualifiers against top teams from Nationella Damhockeyligan, relegation to NDHL DamEttan is possible
* Nationella Damhockeyligan (NDHL; lit. 'National Women's Hockey League'), comprises multiple stages of play that are organized by regional organs of the SIF (NDHL DamEttan) or by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association itself (Dam HockeyAllsvenskan)
** 25 teams began the 2022–23 season in the NDHL DamEttan regional series, split into four geographic divisions: Norra (North), Östra (East), Södra (South), and Västra (West)
*** NDHL DamEttan Norra: 5 teams (30 games per team)
*** NDHL DamEttan Östra: 6 teams (14 games per team)
*** NDHL DamEttan Södra: 8 teams (21 games per team)
*** NDHL DamEttan Västra: 7 teams (20 games per team)
** Two teams from the top of each division move on to the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan, and are grouped geographically in two divisions: Norra and Södra
*** Dam HockeyAllsvenskan Norra: 4 teams (6 games per team)
*** Dam HockeyAllsvenskan Södra: 4 teams (6 games per team)
** Playoffs for top-three teams from each Dam HockeyAllsvenskan division, plus the top-two teams from regional qualification (Swedish: regionalt förkval); uses the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan two-division structure and two league champions are named each season
** Dam HockeyAllsvenskan champions proceed to qualifiers against the bottom teams from SDHL, in which promotion to SDHL is possible
** Team finishing the regular season with the fewest points of any team in the league is relegated to DamTvåan
* DamTvåan, organized by regional organs of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association
** 15 teams in the 2019–20 season, split into three geographic regions: Södra (South), Västra (West), and Norra (North)
*** DamTvåan Södra: 4 teams
*** DamTvåan Västra: 7 teams
*** DamTvåan Norra: 4 teams
** Number of games in regular season varies by region, from 6–12 games in 2019–20 regular season
*** DamTvåan, Region Norr: 6 games
*** DamTvåan Västra: 12 games
*** DamTvåan, Region Syd: 9 games
** Team finishing the regular season with the most points of any team in the league gains promotion to NDHL DamEttan
* Various local and district-level recreational leagues, regulated by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association but generally overseen by constituent entities

## Swedish Championship
### Results

Notes:
* ↑ The National Championship (Riksmästerskapet) was played for three seasons before the introduction of the Swedish Championship by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association in 1987. The National Championships are widely regarded as unofficial Swedish Championships.
* ↑ Bronze medals were officially awarded from 1988 until 2012, at which time the playoff system was restructured. Since the 2012–13 season, no bronze medals have been awarded.

### All-time medal count

Updated 1 August 2020

## Teams 2010–11
### Riksserien

* AIK IF
* Brynäs IF
* Leksands IF
* Linköpings HC
* MODO Hockey
* Munksund-Skuthamns SK
* Ormsta HC
* Segeltorps IF

### Division I Region South A

* Grästorp IK
* Hisingen IK
* Hovås HC/Järnbrott
* Lerums BK
* Munkedal/Stenungsund
* Trollhättan HC
* Vårgårda HC

### Division I Region South B

* Borås HC
* HV71 Queens
* IF Malmö Redhawks
* Karlskrona HK
* Motala AIF Hockey
* Rögle BK
* Växjö Lakers

### Division I Region West

* Skogsbo SK
* Hällefors/Lindlöven
* Sandviken IK
* Malungs IF
* VIK Västerås HK Ungdom
* Leksands IF 2
* Kristinehamns HT

### Division I Region East

* AIK 2
* Almtuna IS
* Järfälla HC
* Ormsta Hockey 2
* Tullinge TP
* Södertälje SK
* Segeltorps IF 2
* Västerhaninge IF

### Division I Region North

* Modo Hockey Junior
* Clemnsnäs HC
* Luleå HF
* Sundsvall Wildcats
* IF Björklöven

## Tournaments

The following are IIHF tournaments that were hosted in Sweden.
| Event | Location | Finish |
| 2003 4 Nations Cup | Skövde | Fourth |
| 2004–05 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup | Solna | Gold for AIK IF |
| 2005 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships | Linköping, Norrköping | Bronze |
| 2005–06 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup | Solna | Gold for AIK IF |
| 2006–07 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup | Katrineholm | Gold for AIK IF |
| 2007 4 Nations Cup | Leksand | Fourth |
| 2007–08 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup | Vallentuna | Gold for AIK IF |
| 2011 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship | Stockholm, Sweden | No medal |