IIHF World Women's Championships

The IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship is the premier international tournament in women's ice hockey. It is governed by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The official world competition was first held in 1990, with four more championships held in the 90's. From 1989 to 1996, and in years that there was no world tournament held, there were European Championships and in 1995 and 1996 a Pacific Rim Championship. From the first Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Tournament in 1998 onward, the Olympic tournament was played instead of the IIHF Championships. As part of an effort to improve competition, the IIHF decided to hold Women's Championships in Olympic years, starting in 2014, but not at the top level.
Canada and the United States have dominated the Championship since its inception. Canada won gold at the first eight consecutive tournaments and the United States has won gold at ten of the last fourteen tournaments. Both national teams placed either first or second every tournament until Canada's streak was broken at the 2019 Championship. Finland is the third most successful World Championship team, having won thirteen bronze medals and one silver medal – achieved after breaking the Canadian gold-silver streak. Four other teams have medalled at a Women's World Championship: Russia, winning three bronze medals; Czech Republic and Sweden, each winning two; and Switzerland, winning one. 
==Structure and Qualification==
The women's tournament began as an eight-team tournament featuring Canada, the US, the top five from the 1989 European championships, and one Asian qualifier. The same formula was used for 1992, 1994 and 1997, but changed following the first Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Tournament at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. The best five from the Olympic tournament were qualified for 1999, followed by the best three from qualification rounds during the Olympic year. The championship became a yearly tournament beginning in 1999 with promotion and relegation with lower ranked nations. Remaining nations play in groups of (now) six nations, with as many as five tiers.
After the 2017 tournament, it was announced that tournament would expand to 10 teams for 2019, having been played with 8 teams since the first tournament in 1990, except in 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009, where 9 teams played. The 2004 edition featured 9 teams when Japan was promoted from Division II but no team was relegated from the Top Division in 2003, due to the cancellation of the top division tournament in China because of the outbreak of the SARS disease. Two teams were relegated from the Top Division in 2004, going back to 8 teams for 2005, but due to the success of the 9-team pool in 2004, IIHF decided to expand again to 9 teams for 2007. Reverting to 8 teams after the 2009 tournament.
===Championship Format===
Initially, the tournament was an eight-team tournament divided into two groups, which played round-robin. The top two from each group played off for the gold, and beginning in 1999 the bottom two played off to determine placement and relegation. In 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009 the tournament was played with nine nations, using three groups of three playing round-robin. In this format first place from each group continued on to play for gold, second place from each group played for placement and an opportunity to still play for bronze, and the third place teams played off to determine relegation. Beginning in 2011, the tournament changed the format to encourage more equal games. The top four seed nations played in Group A, where the top two teams got a bye to the semi-finals, the bottom two go to the quarter-finals to face the top two finishers from Group B. The bottom two from Group B then play each other in a best of three to determine relegation. Beginning in 2019 the tournament was expanded to ten teams, bringing with it a new format. The ten teams are divided into two groups of five and play round-robin. In this format, the five teams in Group A and the top three teams from Group B move into the Quarterfinals, seeded A1vsB3, A2vsB2, A3vsB1, and A4vsA5. The bottom two from Group B now play only one 9th place game and both get relegated.
===Lower Divisions===
Outside of the Top Division tournament, participating nations play in groups of no more than six teams. As of 2022, there are six group tiers across three divisions below the Top Division.
Introduced in 1999 as a Division I tournament and Division I qualification tournament, the number of lower divisions rapidly expanded as more national teams gained admittance. By 2003 the lower tiers were formalized into tiered groups of six teams each, called Division I, Division II, and Division III, with promotion for the top team in each and relegation for the bottom team. By 2009 it had grown up to Division V, but in 2012 the titles were changed to match the men's tournaments; Division I became IA, Division II became IB, Division III became IIA, Division IV became IIB, and Division V became IIB Qualification. Promotion and relegation remained the same after the title changes.
==Rules and eligibility==
The rules of play are essentially the same as the men's with one key difference: body checking. Checking was allowed in the first championship but has been assessed as a minor penalty since. To be eligible players must be under the jurisdiction of the governing body they are representing and must be a citizen of that country. Additionally, the player must be eighteen years old, or sixteen with a medical waiver, in the season the tournament takes place.IIHF Statutes and Bylaws, sections 406, 616, and 900
==Tournaments==
Year		Host city/cities 	 	Final 	Final 	Final 	 	Third place match 	Third place match 	Third place match 	 	
Year		Host city/cities 	 	Champions 	Score 	Runners-up 	 	Third place 	Score 	Fourth place 	 	
 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1990		Ottawa 	 	 	5–2 	 	 	 	6–3 	 	 	
1992		Tampere 	 	 	8–0 	 	 	 	5–4 	 	 	
1994		Lake Placid 	 	 	6–3 	 	 	 	8–1 	 	 	
1997		Kitchener 	 	 	4–3 (OT) 	 	 	 	3–0 	 	 	
1998		Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	Competition not held during 1998 Olympics 	 	
1999		Espoo/Vantaa 	 	 	3–1 	 	 	 	8–2 	 	 	
2000		Mississauga 	 	 	3–2 (OT) 	 	 	 	7–1 	 	 	
2001		Minneapolis 	 	 	3–2 	 	 	 	2–1 	 	 	
2002		Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2002 Olympics 	 	
2003		 	 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China 	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China	Competition at top level was cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China
2004		Halifax/Dartmouth 	 	 	2–0 	 	 	 	3–2 	 	 	
2005		Linköping/Norrköping 	 	 	1–0 (SO) 	 	 	 	5–2 	 	 	
2006		Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2006 Olympics 	 	
2007		Winnipeg/Selkirk 	 	 	5–1 	 	 	 	1–0 	 	 	
2008		Harbin 	 	 	4–3 	 	 	 	4–1 	 	 	
2009		Hämeenlinna 	 	 	4–1 	 	 	 	4–1 	 	 	
2010		Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	Competition not held during 2010 Olympics 	 	
2011		Zürich/Winterthur 	 	 	3–2 (OT) 	 	 	 	3–2 (OT) 	 	 	
2012		Burlington 	 	 	5–4 (OT) 	 	 	 	6–2 	 	 	
2013		Ottawa 	 	 	3–2 	 	 	 	2–0 	 	 	
2014		Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2014 Olympics 	 	
2015		Malmö 	 	 	7–5 	 	 	 	4–1 	 	 	
2016		Kamloops 	 	 	1–0 (OT) 	 	 	 	1–0 (SO) 	 	 	
2017		Plymouth 	 	 	3–2 (OT) 	 	 	 	8–0 	 	 	
2018		Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	Competition not held at top level during 2018 Olympics 	 	
2019		Espoo 	 	 	2–1 (SO) 	 	 	 	7–0 	 	 	
2020		Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Competition at top level, Division I, and Division II Group A was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	 	
2021		Calgary 	 	 	3–2 (OT) 	 	 	 	3–1 	 	 	
2022		Herning/Frederikshavn 	 	 	2–1 	 	 	 	4–2 	 	 	
2023		Brampton 	 	 	6–3 	 	 	 	3–2 	 	 	
2024		Utica, New York 	 	 	6–5 (OT) 	 	 	 	3–2 (SO) 	 	 	
 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
=== Participation and medals ===
Country	Tournaments	First	Last	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Best finish (first/last)
 	23 	1990 	2024	13 	9 	1 	23 	1st (1990/2024)
 	23 	1990 	2024	10 	13 	0 	23 	1st (2005/2023)
 	23 	1990 	2024	0 	1 	14 	15 	2nd (2019)
 	17 	1997 	2021	0 	0 	3 	3 	3rd (2001/2016)
 	8 	2013 	2024	0 	0 	2 	2 	3rd (2022/2023)
 	22 	1990 	2024	0 	0 	2 	2 	3rd (2005/2007)
 	20 	1990 	2024	0 	0 	1 	1 	3rd (2012)
 	12 	1992 	2024	0 	0 	0 	0 	4th (1994/1997)
 	18 	1990 	2024	0 	0 	0 	0 	4th (2017)
 	12 	1990 	2024	0 	0 	0 	0 	5th (2022)
 	4 	1990 	1997	0 	0 	0 	0 	6th (1990/1994)
 	5 	2001 	2011	0 	0 	0 	0 	6th (2009)
 	4 	1992 	2024	0 	0 	0 	0 	7th (1992)
 	2 	2011 	2012	0 	0 	0 	0 	7th (2011)
 	3 	2021 	2023	0 	0 	0 	0 	8th (2022)
 	2 	2019 	2023	0 	0 	0 	0 	10th (2019/2023)
==Awards==
Main article: List of IIHF Women's World Championship Directorate award winners
At most IIHF events, the tournament directorate awards the best forward, best defenceman, best goaltender and most valuable player of each tournament. at the women's event, these awards have been handed out in some combination since the first tournament, with the exception of 1997, and the cancelled tournament in 2003.
==Lower division tournaments==
Year	Group B 	Group B 	Qualification for Group B 	Qualification for Group B	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Year	Host city/cities 	Winner 	Host city/cities 	Winner 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1999	Colmar, France 	 	Székesfehérvár, Hungary;Pyongyang, North Korea;Almaty, Kazakhstan	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2000	Riga and Liepāja, Latvia	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	Division I 	Division I 	Division II 	Division II 	Division III 	Division III 	Division IV 	Division IV 	Division V 	Division V 	 	
 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city/cities 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	 	
2001	Briançon, France 	 	Qualification: Bucharest, Romania;Maribor, Slovenia 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2003	Ventspils, Latvia 	 	Lecco, Italy 	 	Maribor, Slovenia 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2004	Ventspils, Latvia 	 	Sterzing, Italy 	 	Maribor, Slovenia 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2005	Romanshorn, Switzerland 	 	Asiago, Italy 	 	Cape Town, South Africa 	 	Dunedin, New Zealand 	 	 	 	 	
2007	Nikkō, Japan 	 	Pyongyang, North Korea 	 	Sheffield, United Kingdom	 	Miercurea Ciuc, Romania	 	 	 	 	
2008	Ventspils, Latvia 	 	Vierumäki, Finland 	 	Miskolc, Hungary 	 	Miercurea Ciuc, Romania	 	 	 	 	
2009	Graz, Austria 	 	Torre Pellice, Italy 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2011	Ravensburg, Germany 	 	Caen, France 	 	Newcastle, Australia 	 	Reykjavík, Iceland 	 	Sofia, Bulgaria 	 	 	
 	Division I A 	Division I A	Division I B 	Division I B 	Division II A 	Division II A	Division II B 	Division II B	Division II B Qualification	Division II B Qualification	 	
 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	 	
2012	Ventspils, Latvia 	 	 	 	Maribor, Slovenia 	 	Seoul, South Korea 	 	 	 	 	
2013	Stavanger, Norway 	 	Strasbourg, France 	 	Auckland, New Zealand 	 	Puigcerdà, Spain 	 	İzmir, Turkey 	 	 	
2014	Přerov, Czech Republic 	 	Ventspils, Latvia 	 	Dumfries, United Kingdom 	 	Jaca, Spain 	 	Mexico City, Mexico 	 	 	
2015	Rouen, France 	 	Beijing, China 	 	Asiago, Italy 	 	Reykjavík, Iceland 	 	Kowloon, Hong Kong 	 	 	
2016	Aalborg, Denmark 	 	Asiago, Italy 	 	Bled, Slovenia 	 	Jaca, Spain 	 	Sofia, Bulgaria 	 	 	
2017	Graz, Austria 	 	Katowice, Poland 	 	Gangneung, South Korea 	 	Akureyri, Iceland 	 	Taipei, Taiwan 	 	 	
2018	Vaujany, France 	 	Asiago, Italy 	 	Maribor, Slovenia 	 	Valdemoro, Spain 	 	Sofia, Bulgaria 	 	 	
2019	Budapest, Hungary 	 	Beijing, China 	 	Dumfries, United Kingdom 	 	Brașov, Romania 	 	Cape Town, South Africa 	 	 	
 	Division I A 	Division I A	Division I B 	Division I B 	Division II A 	Division II A	Division II B 	Division II B	Division III 	Division III 	 	
 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	 	
2020	Angers, France 	 	Katowice, Poland 	 	Jaca, Spain 	 	Akureyri, Iceland 	 	Sofia, Bulgaria 	 	 	
2021	Angers, France 	 	Beijing, China 	 	Jaca, Spain 	 	Zagreb, Croatia 	 	Kaunas, Lithuania 	 	 	
 	Division I A 	Division I A	Division I B 	Division I B 	Division II A 	Division II A	Division II B 	Division II B	Division III A 	Division III A 	Division III B 	Division III B
 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner 	Host city 	Winner
2022	Angers, France 	 	Katowice, Poland 	 	Jaca, Spain 	 	Zagreb, Croatia 	 	Sofia, Bulgaria 	 	 	
2023	Shenzhen, China 	 	Suwon, South Korea 	 	Mexico City, Mexico 	 	Cape Town, South Africa	 	Brașov, Romania 	 	 	
2024	Klagenfurt, Austria 	 	Riga, Latvia 	 	Canillo, Andorra 	 	Istanbul, Turkey 	 	Zagreb, Croatia 	 	Kohtla-Jarve, Estonia	
Notes:
* Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
==See also==
* 4 Nations Cup
* Pacific Rim Championships
* Olympic Games
* IIHF European Women Championships
==External links/sources==
*The Women's Hockey Web
* Müller, Stephan : International Ice Hockey Encyclopedia 1904–2005 / BoD GmbH Norderstedt, 2005 ISBN 3-8334-4189-5.
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Category:International Ice Hockey Federation tournaments
Category:Tournaments