Girls Development Fund: A boost for women’s hockey in Switzerland

With the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg approaching, the SIHF is placing a strong focus on creating a sustainable legacy beyond the tournament itself. One of the key elements of this strategy is the newly introduced Girls Development Fund, aimed at supporting girls and women throughout their entire hockey pathway.

As the SIHF explains, the fund promotes programs from first contact with the sport to performance-oriented development, making it easier for girls to enter ice hockey and pursue long-term careers. At the same time, it incentivizes clubs to integrate girls’ development into their structures and expand projects nationwide.

In the short term, the initiative is expected to boost visibility and engagement in hockey schools. Over the medium to long term, Swiss Ice Hockey plans to strengthen youth structures, increase the number of licensed female players, and establish initiatives such as a junior women’s league starting in the 2026-27 season.