BRAMPTON, Ont. – With less than one month until the puck drops on the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship, Hockey Canada and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) have unveiled the pre-tournament schedule and training camp locations for competing teams ahead of puck drop on April 5.

Six communities across southern Ontario will play host to seven pre-tournament games featuring all 10 competing federations from March 29–April 2.

“The pre-tournament games provide a great opportunity to share our love of hockey and Canadian hospitality by welcoming these exceptional athletes to Ontario,” said Fran Rider, president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association. “Games will be exciting, provide inspiration to young girls and others in the various communities and will support the growth and development of the game at local levels.”

Women’s Worlds Pre-Tournament Schedule

March 29 | France vs. University of Toronto | Varsity Arena | Toronto

March 31 | Germany vs. Switzerland | Sadlon Arena | Barrie
March 31 | Japan vs. Hungary | Canlan Sports | North York

April 1 | Canada vs. Finland | Gale Centre | Niagara Falls

April 2 | Sweden vs. Switzerland | Aurora Community Centre | Aurora
April 2 | France vs. Japan | Port Credit Memorial Arena | Mississauga
April 2 | Germany vs. Hungary | Canlan Sports | North York

Canada’s National Women’s Team will hold its pre-tournament camp at the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, which will also play host to Finland. Aurora will host Sweden at the Aurora Community Centre, while Switzerland and Germany will practice in Barrie at the Peggy Hill Team Community Centre and Sadlon Arena, respectively. Japan and France will hold their camps at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, while Hungary will practice at Canlan Sports in North York and Czechia will station at the Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby.

Hockey Canada and the OWHA would like to recognize and thank the Province of Ontario for providing $500,000 in funding support for the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Throughout Ontario, legacy initiatives will be established following the tournament that will benefit grassroots hockey for years to come.

“The Ontario government is proud to support the 2023 IIHF World Women’s Championship – a premier event that draws visitors to our province, stimulates economic activity in local communities and showcases Ontario as one of the best places to train, compete and excel in sport,” said Neil Lumsden, minister of tourism, culture and sport. “Congratulations to the world-class athletes whose skill and determination inspires everyone who shares a love of the game. I would like to thank Hockey Canada, the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association, the IIHF and the City of Brampton — as well as the organizing committee, coaches, officials and volunteers — for their ongoing efforts to make this event a success.”

Recent editions of the IIHF Women’s World Championship hosted in Canada have brought significant economic impact to the host provinces. British Columbia (2016) benefited from $7.4 million in economic impact throughout the province, with $6.2 million being generated in Kamloops alone. Ontario (2013) was even more successful, bringing in $14.3 million to the province, of which $8.8 million occurred in Ottawa. As with all IIHF events hosted in Canada, a legacy plan for the profits of the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship will support grassroots women’s hockey initiatives across Ontario through the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association and throughout Canada.

Fans interested in attending pre-tournament games can purchase tickets through local venues. Tickets to select IIHF Women’s World Championship games can be purchased at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

Canada’s pre-tournament game against Finland on April 1 will be livestreamed at HockeyCanada.ca. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast all 31 tournament games from the CAA Centre in Brampton, providing extensive coverage throughout the event.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

(Photo: Hockey Canada)

(Source: Media Release, Hockey Canada, March 14, 2023)