Women’s National Team: ÖEHV and players reach agreement

The Austrian Ice Hockey Federation (ÖEHV) and the Women’s National Team, represented by the Eishockeyspieler:innen UNION within younion _ Die Daseinsgewerkschaft, have agreed on a joint solution to the issues discussed in recent months. The basis for this was the catalogue of demands submitted by the players, covering nine areas, which was carefully addressed over recent weeks in numerous rounds of talks – both at the training camp in Slovakia and in direct exchange with the younion sports union.

The key outcome is a new remuneration and compensation model for all three senior national teams (women, men and para), which the parties have agreed upon subject to legal details and which will come into force from 2027. In addition, further key points concerning organisation and communication for and with the players have been finalised.

Following the agreement, the full focus of ÖEHV and the Women’s National Team is now on their historic first participation in the top division of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, which will take place in Denmark from 6 to 16 November 2026. After the World Championship, ÖEHV will launch the next phase of development with several focal areas: the athletes’ commission and governance, national team standards, and the visibility and growth of women’s ice hockey. The aim is to translate the insights gained from preparations for the World Championship in the top division into sustainable structures and develop them further together with the relevant stakeholders.

Yasmin Stepina, ÖEHV Vice-President: “Over the past few weeks, we have worked intensively and as equals with the players – the result is a genuine improvement for our Women’s National Team. With the new remuneration model, improved support and accommodation standards, and further measures, we are taking concrete steps that will bring tangible benefits to the team. We are now looking forward together to our historic first participation in the World Championship in the top division in November.”

Anna Meixner, captain of the ÖEHV Women’s National Team: “For us, this agreement primarily means that we can once again focus fully on the sport. The first World Championship in the top division in the history of Austrian women’s ice hockey is a milestone. This makes it all the more important that we travel there as a united team and can focus on what matters most: representing Austria as well as possible.”

“This agreement is an important step in the continued development of women’s ice hockey in Austria. Many of the issues raised have now been addressed and translated into concrete measures. This provides a foundation on which to further develop the conditions for the current and next generation of national team players,” said Sascha Tomanek, representative of the Eishockeyspieler:innen UNION within younion _ Die Daseinsgewerkschaft.