IIHF Discussing A Women’s World Junior Tournament

The IIHF is discussing launching a women's hockey World Junior Championships in the near future.

Between the men’s and women’s offerings from the IIHF, there remains only one gap, the World Juniors. The IIHF, however, recognizes that gap and hopes to change it in the near future.

“We had a lot of discussions about (a World Junior) already, it’s already on the table,” IIHF Council Member Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer said on the Line Change Podcast.

While the IIHF wants to bridge the gap that exists between the U-18 tournament and senior national events for women, they also recognize there are challenges ahead.

“Of course it’s not easy to create a new category, it’s also money questions, because it would mean a new championship structure,” said Kolbenheyer. “On the other hand we also know this has to come some day, so maybe not next year, but in the near future, we are talking about it.”

The first women’s World Championship was founded in 1990, while the first men’s tournament was founded 60 years prior in 1930. Similarly at the U-18 level, the men’s tournament came well before a women’s event, with men first playing an IIHF sanctioned U-18 tournament in 1999, while women waited until 2008 to play a U-18 event.

The World Junior tournament, however, has remained a men’s only event since it was first played in 1977. While no logical reason exists for the absence of a women’s World Junior, Kolbenheyer says the next step is finding sponsors to back the event. Sponsors recognizing the value of women’s sport, according to Kolbenheyer, will open opportunities for other new events in women’s hockey as well.

“Right now companies and sponsors are very interested to invest in women’s hockey,” she said.

“I think this can help us a lot. If we can jump on that wave and find good partners for women’s tournaments, for women’s games, we have great ideas with the [IIHF] women's committee with what kind of events we can have, like a World Cup for women where we can really showcase the best players, where everybody can see that great quality.”

A World Junior Championship for women would allow current teenage stars including Caitlin Kraemer, Jade Iginla, Laila Edwards, Tessa Janecke, Nela Lopusanova, Adela Sapovalivova, Mira Jungaker, Sanni Vanhanen and others from across the globe to continue to showcase their talents internationally, against their peers. It could also help close the gap between Canada, USA, and other nations, as it would present an ongoing development opportunity, and encourage nations to fund more programming.

While fans and women in the sport might want this now, Kolbenheyer says some level of patience is needed.

“I think we have to be a little bit patient, I don’t believe you can do everything by tomorrow, I think we need a little time, but I think we’re going to get there,” she said. 

“The interest is there, we just have to find a way to use it and to also show sponsors that this is a market where they have to invest. I see more and more good events coming.”

Listen to the full conversation here: