The annual IIHF World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend (WGIHW) is back for its 15th edition over the weekend of Oct. 16-18, 2026.
The event has grown into a truly global affair, with more than 30 countries across six continents taking part last year.
It’s a time when rinks open their doors to thousands of girls and women, inviting them to take part in hockey events – often trying the game for the first time.
And this IIHF event marks another exciting season for the women’s game. At the highest level, the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 in Denmark (6-16 November) will be one of the main highlights. We’re also looking forward to the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship 2027 in Czechia in January.
In the club game, the PWHL continues to grow, while Europe’s top leagues are already underway.
But none of that elite-level excitement would be possible without strong grassroots. WGIHW brings women and girls together at the start of their hockey journeys, introducing people to the game and forging new friendships through our wonderful sport.
Want to follow the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend? Our tracker, below, will be updated all weekend long. Make sure to follow @iihfhockey on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates during the weekend and use the official hashtag #WGIHW. Organizers can submit the reporting form to be included in the tracker.
The event has grown into a truly global affair, with more than 30 countries across six continents taking part last year.
It’s a time when rinks open their doors to thousands of girls and women, inviting them to take part in hockey events – often trying the game for the first time.
And this IIHF event marks another exciting season for the women’s game. At the highest level, the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 in Denmark (6-16 November) will be one of the main highlights. We’re also looking forward to the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship 2027 in Czechia in January.
In the club game, the PWHL continues to grow, while Europe’s top leagues are already underway.
But none of that elite-level excitement would be possible without strong grassroots. WGIHW brings women and girls together at the start of their hockey journeys, introducing people to the game and forging new friendships through our wonderful sport.
Want to follow the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend? Our tracker, below, will be updated all weekend long. Make sure to follow @iihfhockey on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates during the weekend and use the official hashtag #WGIHW. Organizers can submit the reporting form to be included in the tracker.
Vilnius, Lithuania
The Akropolis rink in the Lithuanian capital hosted the country’s World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend event, welcoming 21 skaters. Ages ranged from 2-42, with most participants aged 14-16.After a short introduction, everyone got kitted up for a 90-minute session on the ice. After a mix of skating practice, puck drills and fun challenges, there was time for all the players to join in a full game. All participants collected t-shirts and stickers as souvenirs of a successful day.
Hyvinkaa, Finland
With each year, this event goes from strength to strength in Finland – and what used to be a weekend is now a full week.“This is of enormous significance as its gives girls and women visibility in the sport nationwide for the entire week,” said Anu Niemi, Developer of Girls Ice Hockey with the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
Many of the events run ahead of the World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend to coincide with school holidays and women’s national team events in Finland, expanding the program’s reach. And on the weekend itself, Hyvinkaa held an open camp with a full day session for 68 players aged 6-16 supported by 10 coaches.
“The themed week has succeeded in bringing girls into the normal everyday hockey life of many clubs and communities,” Anu added. “This year, a total of 46 different clubs participated, bringing more than 1,000 girls and women to their events.”