2026 women's hockey worlds to be held 2 months after Milan-Cortina Olympics

The 2026 women's hockey world championship will be held in April, two months after the Olympic Games conclude in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

There wasn't a women's championship in the same calendar year as a Winter Games until 2022, when Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark, hosted the tournament Aug. 25 to Sept. 4.

International Ice Hockey Federation women's committee chair and Hungarian Hockey Federation president Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer says late March-early April for the women's championship is in the IIHF bylaws, and that Denmark's summer tournament was a one-off.

"That was only for that year," Kolbenheyer said. "We always wanted to put it back to the original dates."

Canada will host the 2027 edition, but almost became the 2026 host when Germany expressed interest in holding both the men's and women's championships in 2027.

But Canada reverted back to 2027 when the Germans backed off the double. The 2026 women's host city will be announced at the IIHF's annual congress in May.

Some women competing in Italy in February could be back on the ice less than two months later for another top international tournament.

It'll be a new challenge for the world's top players who choose to play in both, as well their pro leagues, but also a new decision for players who opt out of the world championship that was the pinnacle of their season for decades.

Another wrinkle is two long international breaks imposed on the Professional Women's Hockey League in its third season in 2025-26.

Kolbenheyer said the timing of future women's championships is a matter of discussion between the IIHF and PWHL, but the 2026 tournament is locked into April.

"We are in contact with them regarding this topic, but we decided at the council level that it would be