# Ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics – Women's qualification

Qualification for the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics was determined by the IIHF World Ranking following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. The host along with the top six teams in the world ranking receive automatic berths into the Olympics, while all other teams had an opportunity to qualify for the remaining three spots. The participation of Russia is not yet confirmed and depends on if the team is allowed to return to the IIHF Championship program.

## Qualified teams

| Event | Date | Location | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Hosts | — | — | 1 | Italy |
| 2024 IIHF World Ranking | 20 August 2021 – 14 April 2024 | Utica | 6 | Canada United States Finland Czech Republic Switzerland Russia |
| Final qualification tournaments | 6 – 9 February 2025 | Tomakomai | 1 | Japan |
| Final qualification tournaments | 6 – 9 February 2025 | Gävle | 1 | Sweden |
| Final qualification tournaments | 6 – 9 February 2025 | Bremerhaven | 1 | Germany |
| Total | | | 10 | |

### Notes

* $^a$ The 2024 IIHF World Ranking comprised the following events: 2021 World Championship, 2022 World Championship, 2022 Winter Olympic Games, 2023 World Championship and 2024 World Championship.
* $^b$ Utica was the site of the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship; at the conclusion of the tournament the direct qualification slots were finalized, however final qualification ranking was not determined until the completion of the Division IA tournament in Klagenfurt on 27 April.
* $^c$ The participation of Russia is not yet confirmed and depends on if the team is allowed to return to the IIHF Championship program. If Russia were to be banned, France would take its place in the women's tournament.

## Qualification seeding

To qualify directly, a nation had to be ranked in the top six following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. In the IIHF World Ranking system, ranking points from the most recent year are weighted at full value, and points from each preceding year are worth 25% less. The table below represents the standings of the 45 current participants, and Russia (whose status is yet to be determined).
* Qualified directly to Olympic tournament
* Entered in Final Olympic qualification
* Entered in Round 2
* Entered in Round 1 (cancelled)
* Did not enter Olympic qualification
| Qualifying seed | Team | WC2024 (100%) | WC2023 (75%) | WC2022 (50%) | OLY2022 (50%) | WC2021 (25%) | Total |
| 1 | Canada | 1600 | 1560 | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | 4270 |
| 2 | United States | 1560 | 1600 | 1160 | 1160 | 1160 | 4210 |
| 3 | Finland | 1520 | 1460 | 1040 | 1120 | 1120 | 3975 |
| 4 | Czechia | 1500 | 1520 | 1120 | 1020 | 1020 | 3965 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 1460 | 1500 | 1100 | 1100 | 1100 | 3960 |
| 6 | Russia | 1440 | 1460 | 1100 | 1060 | 1060 | 3880 |
| 7 | Japan | 1400 | 1420 | 1060 | 1040 | 1040 | 3775 |
| 8 | Sweden | 1420 | 1440 | 1020 | 1000 | 960 | 3750 |
| 9 | Germany | 1440 | 1400 | 960 | 860 | 1000 | 3650 |
| 10 | Hungary | 1300 | 1360 | 1000 | 920 | 960 | 3520 |
| 11 | Denmark | 1340 | 1300 | 940 | 940 | 940 | 3490 |
| 12 | China | 1360 | 1320 | 820 | 960 | 740 | 3425 |
| 13 | France | 1280 | 1340 | 920 | 880 | 920 | 3415 |
| 14 | Norway | 1320 | 1240 | 900 | 840 | 880 | 3340 |
| 15 | Austria | 1260 | 1280 | 860 | 900 | 860 | 3315 |
| 16 | Slovakia | 1200 | 1220 | 880 | 820 | 840 | 3175 |
| 17 | Netherlands | 1240 | 1260 | 840 | 740 | 780 | 3170 |
| 18 | South Korea | 1220 | 1200 | 740 | 780 | 800 | 3080 |
| Host | Italy | 1160 | 1160 | 780 | 800 | 820 | 3025 |
| 19 | Poland | 1100 | 1180 | 800 | 760 | 760 | 2955 |
| 20 | Great Britain | 1140 | 1120 | 700 | 720 | 660 | 2855 |
| 21 | Slovenia | 1120 | 1140 | 720 | 680 | 680 | 2845 |
| 22 | Kazakhstan | 1080 | 1100 | 760 | 660 | 720 | 2795 |
| 23 | Spain | 1060 | 1060 | 660 | 700 | 640 | 2695 |
| 24 | Mexico | 1040 | 1040 | 620 | 640 | 620 | 2605 |
| 25 | Chinese Taipei | 1020 | 1020 | 640 | 620 | 540 | 2550 |
| 26 | Latvia | 1180 | 1080 | 680 | 0 | 700 | 2505 |
| 27 | Iceland | 1000 | 1000 | 580 | 600 | 520 | 2470 |
| 28 | Turkey | 880 | 860 | 540 | 580 | 580 | 2230 |
| | Hong Kong | 920 | 840 | 360 | 560 | 460 | 2125 |
| | Australia | 940 | 940 | 560 | 0 | 560 | 2065 |
| | Belgium | 980 | 960 | 460 | 0 | 400 | 2030 |
| | New Zealand | 900 | 920 | 540 | 0 | 500 | 1985 |
| 29 | Lithuania | 800 | 800 | 440 | 520 | 340 | 1965 |
| | South Africa | 860 | 900 | 520 | 0 | 420 | 1900 |
| 30 | Bulgaria | 740 | 760 | 420 | 540 | 360 | 1880 |
| 31 | Croatia | 760 | 880 | 500 | 0 | 480 | 1790 |
| | Ukraine | 840 | 820 | 460 | 0 | 380 | 1780 |
| 32 | Romania | 820 | 780 | 420 | 0 | 440 | 1725 |
| 33 | Estonia | 700 | 740 | 340 | 0 | 320 | 1505 |
| 34 | Serbia | 780 | 720 | 320 | 0 | 0 | 1480 |
| | North Korea | 960 | 0 | 620 | 0 | 600 | 1420 |
| | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 640 | 680 | 300 | 0 | 300 | 1375 |
| | Israel | 680 | 700 | 280 | 0 | 0 | 1345 |
| 35 | Thailand | 720 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 720 |
| | Singapore | 660 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 660 |

## Olympic qualification Round 1

This round was canceled. It was meant to take place between 7–10 November 2024, and consist of three groups of teams ranked 25th or lower. Teams entered in Group A were Chinese Taipei, Bulgaria and Croatia; teams in Group B were Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Thailand; and teams in Group C were Iceland, Turkey, Estonia and Serbia.
The three highest ranked teams, Chinese Taipei, Latvia and Iceland, advanced to Round 2.

## Olympic qualification Round 2

Twelve countries played in three tournaments from 12 to 15 December 2024, involving nations ranked 16th to 24th and those who advanced from Round 1 (named Qualifier 4, 5, and 6). If nations declined to participate then those ranked lower will move up to fill their place.

### Group D

The tournament was held in Piešťany, Slovakia.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Slovakia (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 | +35 | 9 | Final qualification |
| 2 | Kazakhstan | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 6 | |
| 3 | Slovenia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 19 | −16 | 3 | |
| 4 | Iceland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20 | −17 | 0 | |
All times are local (UTC+1).

### Group E

The tournament was held in Sheffield, Great Britain.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 8 | Final qualification |
| 2 | Great Britain (H) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 7 | |
| 3 | Latvia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Spain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | −8 | 0 | |
All times are local (UTC±0).

### Group F

The tournament was held in Bytom, Poland.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Poland (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | +18 | 9 | Final qualification |
| 2 | South Korea | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | 6 | |
| 3 | Mexico | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 17 | −14 | 2 | |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | −9 | 1 | |
All times are local (UTC+1).

## Final Olympic qualification

Twelve countries played in three tournaments from 6 to 9 February 2025 involving nations ranked 7th to 15th, and the three winners of the Round 2 tournaments. The winners advanced to the Olympic tournament and play in group B.

### Group G

This tournament took place in Tomakomai, Japan.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Japan (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | +15 | 9 | 2026 Winter Olympics |
| 2 | France | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 8 | +6 | 6 | Alternate |
| 3 | China | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 2 | |
| 4 | Poland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 18 | −16 | 1 | |
All times are local (UTC+9).

### Group H

This tournament took place in Gävle, Sweden.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sweden (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | +16 | 9 | 2026 Winter Olympics |
| 2 | Denmark | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 6 | |
| 3 | Norway | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 2 | |
| 4 | Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 15 | −11 | 1 | |
All times are local (UTC+1).

### Group I

The tournament took place at Eisarena Bremerhaven [de] in Bremerhaven, Germany.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Germany (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 9 | 2026 Winter Olympics |
| 2 | Hungary | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 5 | |
| 3 | Austria | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 4 | |
| 4 | Slovakia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 0 | |
All times are local (UTC+1).