World Championship Ice Hockey Makes A Welcome Return to Dumfries Ice Bowl

World Championship Ice Hockey makes a welcome return to Dumfries Ice Bowl this April.

The Great Britain national women’s team will play five group matches against renowned ice hockey nations to seek promotion to a higher classification for the 2026 season. The World Championship takes place between 9 and 15 April.

The International Ice Hockey Federation’s Women’s Division I Group B tournament features our national team and ice hockey powerhouses Italy, Slovenia, the Republic of Korea, Latvia and Kazakhstan. The Great Britain team squad is almost certain to have local players when Ice Hockey UK confirms it.

Councillor Maureen Johnstone, Chair of the Council’s Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee said, “The Council has continuously invested in the Ice Bowl and our winter sports programmes, and this 10 th Ice Hockey World Championship to be based here in little over a decade fully justifies this support. On the cusp of International Women’s Day I’m genuinely thrilled that dozens of women who have reached the pinnacle of their sports careers through selection for their national teams will be coming to Dumfries this April.”

Henry Staelens, Ice Hockey UK CEO, said: “We’re delighted to host the Women’s World Championship Division I Group B on home ice. This is a pivotal time for GB Women’s ice hockey as we look to progress even further over the coming years in the lead up to 2030 Olympic Games.

Thanks to all at Dumfries and Galloway Council and Dumfries Ice Bowl for their support in bringing the event to life as always.”

Andy French, centre, Ice Hockey UK, starts the countdown to the Women’s World Championship Ice Hockey in Dumfries on 9-15 April. Andy is flanked to the right by Emma Lamberton, GB player, Councillor Lynne Davis, DGC Councillor and Teigan McClimonds, D&G Young Women’s Network and to the left Cassie McGregor, GB Player, Councillor Maureen Johnstone, DGC Councillor and Emma Graham, D&G Young Women’s Network

Councillor Lynne Davis, the Vice-Chair of the Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing Committee said, “It will be great to welcome our national Women’s Ice Hockey team and so many international visitors from the five competing nations to Dumfries and Galloway in April. This is the first time in a generation that our region will host one of our full national teams in one of our most popular sports. The tournament will be beneficial economically too, with the teams arriving in Dumfries and Galloway four or five days before the World Championship starts, to have the best training and practice possible to be prepared for the 9 April.”

The Council and Ice Hockey UK will be putting on lots of entertainment during the World Championship, including female DJS playing sets before the Great Britain matches on Thursday the 9, Saturday the 10 th and Sunday 11 th April.

The tournament will showcase the many opportunities for women to get into Sport through the Council’s leisure and sports programmes.

Tickets are very reasonably priced and can be bought on the day at the Ice Bowl or in advance from the Midsteeple Box Office or online from www.icehockeyuk.co.uk

The Council is encouraging youth and community groups to attend one or more Great Britain matches, for details email [email protected]