Women’s Ice Hockey World Championship coming to Croatia
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
(Photo: HSHL)
ZAGREB, 18 February 2026 – Zagreb will take centre stage in international women’s ice hockey from 23 February to 1 March as it hosts the IIHF Women’s World Championship Division III Group A.
The international tournament will bring six national teams to the Croatian capital: Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, Türkiye, Thailand and hosts Croatia.
All matches will be played at the Admiral Ice Dome in Utrina, reinforcing Zagreb’s growing reputation as a capable host of major sporting events.
The Croatian national team will have the advantage of home support as they aim for a strong performance and a potential step up to a higher tier of competition.
Croatia open the tournament against Thailand on 23 February at 19:30. A day later, they face Bulgaria at the same time. On 26 February, Croatia meet Türkiye, followed by a clash with Serbia on 27 February. The hosts conclude their campaign against Romania on 1 March, again in the evening slot.
(Photo: HSHL)
The top-ranked team at the end of the tournament will secure promotion to Division II, Group B, adding further significance to every fixture.
Igor Jačmenjak, Executive Director of the Croatian Ice Hockey Federation, highlighted the importance of the event for the sport’s development in Croatia.
“It is a great honour for Zagreb to host the Women’s World Championship Division III, Group A. This confirms that Croatian ice hockey has the organisational capacity for international competitions and that women’s hockey here is continuously developing and growing. We believe the public will recognise the importance of this tournament and provide strong support to our national team, who will give their maximum to achieve a result worthy of promotion,” Jačmenjak said.
(Photo: HSHL)
With promotion on the line and home ice advantage, Croatia’s women will be aiming to deliver performances that reflect the steady progress of the sport in the country.
As the puck drops later this month, all eyes in Division III will be on Zagreb.
