The Japanese U18 women's national team during the closing ceremony last year.
photo: David Wassagruba
The 2018 IIHF Annual Congress only had one top-division event to confirm and did so unanimously. The IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship will for the first time happen in Japan in 2019.
Japan just earned promotion to the top level recently and jumped on the opportunity to host the tournament on home ice.
The eight teams will play in Obihiro on the northern island of Hokkaido. The venue is in a sport district with many facilities including two ice rinks. The tournament dates are 6-13 January 2019.
Defending champion USA, Sweden, Canada and Russia will play in the “upper” Group A. Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan will play in Group B from which the best two teams will join the four teams of Group A for the final round while the other two will play a relegation series.
Japan just earned promotion to the top level recently and jumped on the opportunity to host the tournament on home ice.
The eight teams will play in Obihiro on the northern island of Hokkaido. The venue is in a sport district with many facilities including two ice rinks. The tournament dates are 6-13 January 2019.
Defending champion USA, Sweden, Canada and Russia will play in the “upper” Group A. Finland, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Japan will play in Group B from which the best two teams will join the four teams of Group A for the final round while the other two will play a relegation series.