WCH Women 2025/26

The IIHF Women's World Championship serves as the premier annual international ice hockey tournament for women. Organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the event operates at the top of the national pyramid, distinct from the quadrennial Olympic tournament which holds higher global prestige. While the Olympics function as a multi-sport event, this championship provides an annual world title.

The current Top Division features ten teams, including Canada W, Czech Republic W, Finland W, Germany W, Hungary W, and Japan W. The structure utilizes a round-robin group stage divided into two groups of five. The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals. Competitive movement within the hierarchy is managed through promotion and relegation; the bottom two teams in the Top Division are relegated to Division I Group A, while the top two teams from Division I Group A secure promotion to the Top Division.

Historically, the tournament faced scheduling changes to avoid conflict with the Winter Olympics between 1998 and 2010. Since 2022, the IIHF has held the Top Division World Championship in Olympic years as well, typically scheduling matches in August after the Winter Games to allow player rest.

Canada remains the most successful team in history with thirteen gold medals, followed by the United States with eleven. The United States currently holds the title after winning the 2025 championship. A notable shift in dominance occurred during the 2019 final, where the United States defeated Finland 2–1 in a shootout, marking the first occasion that neither Canada nor the USA reached the final. The tournament maintains its own identity separate from the Olympic stage, offering a consistent annual competition for the world's leading female hockey nations.