Women’s National Team: ÖEHV intro­duces concrete measures for the A World Cham­pi­onship and further devel­op­ment

With the Austrian Women’s National Team set to make its historic first appearance in the top division of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation (ÖEHV) is introducing immediate concrete measures in the areas of organisational framework conditions, support, communication and visibility.

Over the coming weeks, the clear focus will be on the best possible preparation for the A World Championship in Denmark from 6 to 16 November 2026. At the same time, ÖEHV is restructuring its cooperation with the players: the players will meet with the federation regularly to discuss progress on the matters raised and set out the next steps.

The matters raised will be addressed in a structured process according to status, responsibility and timetable. The number-one objective is a clear framework for reliable feedback, constructive dialogue and transparent implementation.

Responsibilities within the organisational and sporting set-up are being restructured and specifically refined. Within the women’s programme, General Manager Martin Kogler will in future focus on the Federal Performance Centre for Women’s Ice Hockey in Villach, including the staging there of the Women’s U18 World Championship (Division I) in January 2027. Negotiations with a successor candidate are already under way, with the decision to be announced shortly.

In parallel, ÖEHV is increasing the Women’s National Team’s media presence and taking further steps to develop women’s ice hockey in Austria – including through an enhanced Athlete Experience, clearer standards and greater visibility.

ÖEHV President Klaus Hartmann: “Our focus is now clearly on the best possible preparation for the A World Championship. At the same time, we are implementing concrete measures: we are creating reliable channels of communication, systematically addressing outstanding matters and strengthening the framework conditions around our Women’s National Team. We know that we can and will continue to develop – and we are determined to create a sustainable foundation for the future of women’s ice hockey in Austria.”

Following the World Championship, ÖEHV will launch the next phase of development with four priorities: athletes’ commission and governance, national team standards, a transparent compensation model, and the visibility and growth of women’s ice hockey. The aim is to translate the insights gained from the A World Championship preparations into sustainable structures and further develop them together with the relevant stakeholders.