The chairman of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association praised the benefits of the PWHL and shifting the Women's World Championships to November for players in Europe.
Sweden, which houses the second best women's professional league in the world behind only North America's PWHL, is in full support of recent developments in the sport. According to chairman of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association, Anders Larsson, the growth of the sport through the PWHL, and the shift of the World Championships to November are all positives for the sport.
" We have already heard critical voices saying that we are dancing to the tune of the North American Women's Hockey League (PWHL). We are not," wrote Larsson in a translated article, referencing the move of the World Championships to November from April. "What we have done is, as I see it, a very good solution. We have put the Women's World Championship in a window where there is not much other national team activity going on, and that means that we can promote the tournament in a better way."
It will mean the SDHL will need to pause for a month in November, but the league is used to a week long break for the Women's Euro Hockey Tour during that period. With many top European players now eyeing moves to the PWHL, and others heading to the NCAA, a larger number of national team players will be in North America in the future.
Larsson sees the growth of the PWHL, and shift of the World Championships as a positive for the sport.
"The PWHL has lifted hockey, and since the PWHL league does not start its season until the end of November, it means that the best players can still be in the World Championship," he wrote.
Sweden is set to host the November stop on the Women's Euro Hockey Tour, known as the Lidl Hockey Games featuring national teams from Sweden, Finland, Czechia, and Switzerland.
It will be one of the last chances for the national teams to prepare for the 2026 Olympics in Italy.