Qualification for the women's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be determined by the IIHF World Ranking following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. The host along with the top six teams in the world ranking receive automatic berths into the Olympics, while all other teams have an opportunity to qualify for the remaining three spots.[1] The participation of Russia is not yet confirmed and depends on if the team is allowed to return to the IIHF Championship program.[2]

Qualified teams

Event Date Location Vacancies Qualified
Hosts 23 May 2023[3] Finland Tampere 1  Italy
2024 IIHF World Ranking[a] 20 August 2021 – 14 April 2024 United States Utica[b] 6  Canada
 United States
Final qualification tournaments 6 – 9 February 2025 TBD 1
TBD 1
TBD 1
Total10
Notes
  1. a The 2024 IIHF World Ranking comprised the following events: 2021 World Championship, 2022 World Championship, 2022 Winter Olympic Games, 2023 World Championship and 2024 World Championship.
  2. b Utica will be the site of the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship; at the conclusion of the tournament the direct qualification slots will be finalized, however final qualification ranking will not be determined until the completion of the Division IA tournament in Klagenfurt on April 27.

Qualification seeding

To qualify directly, a nation has to be ranked in the top six following the 2024 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships. In the IIHF World Ranking system, ranking points from the most recent year are weighted at full value, and points from each preceding year are worth 25% less. The table below represents the standings of the 45 current participants, and Russia (whose status is yet to be determined), using italicized numbers to indicate the minimum value they can finish the qualifying period with.

     Qualified directly to Olympic tournament
     Entered in final Olympic qualification
     Entered in round 2
     Entered in round 1
Qualifying seed Team WC2024
(100%)		 WC2023
(75%)		 WC2022
(50%)		 OLY2022
(50%)		 WC2021
(25%)		 Total
1 Canada140015601200120012004070
2 United States140016001160116011604050
3  Switzerland140015001100110011003900
4 Russia144014601100106010603880
5 Czechia140015201120102010203865
6 Finland140014601040112011203855
7 Japan134014201060104010403715
8 Sweden13401440102010009603670
9 Germany1340140096086010003550
10 Denmark134013009409409403490
11 Hungary1220136010009209603440
12 China134013208209607403405
13 France122013409208809203355
14 Austria122012808609008603275
15 Norway122012409008408803240
16 Netherlands122012608407407803150
17 South Korea122012007407808003080
18 Slovakia110012208808208403075
Host Italy110011607808008202965
19 Poland110011808007607602955
20 Slovenia110011407206806802825
21 Great Britain110011207007206602815
22 Kazakhstan98011007606607202695
23 Spain98010606607006402615
24 Mexico98010406206406202545
25 Chinese Taipei98010206406205402510
26 Iceland98010005806005202450
27 Latvia1100108068007002425
28 Turkey8608605405805802210
29 Hong Kong8608403605604602065
30 Belgium98096046004002030
31 Australia86094056005601985
32 New Zealand86092054005001945
33 Lithuania7408004405203401905
34 South Africa86090052004201900
35 Bulgaria7407604205403601880
36 Croatia74088050004801770
37 Ukraine74082046003801680
38 Romania74078042004401645
39 Estonia64074034003201445
40 Serbia740720320001440
41 Bosnia and Herzegovina64068030003001375
42 North Korea860062006001320
43 Israel640700280001305
44 Singapore6400000640
45 Thailand6400000640

Olympic qualification tournament round 1

This round will take place 7–10 November, 2024, involving all nations who wish to participate, and are ranked 25th or lower.[1]

Olympic qualification tournament round 2

Twelve countries will play in three tournaments 12–15 December, 2024, involving nations ranked 16th to 24th and those who advanced from round 1. If nations decline to participate then those ranked lower will move up to fill their place.[1]

Final Olympic qualification tournaments

Twelve countries will play in three tournaments 6–9 February, 2025 involving nations ranked 7th to 15th, and the three winners of the round 2 tournaments. The winners advance to the Olympic tournament and play in group B.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Qualification System – XXV Olympic Winter Games" (PDF). Olympics.com. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Russia, Belarus banned from international hockey world championships next season". CBC.ca. 22 March 2023. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "And 2027 goes to …". IIHF. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
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