| Most recent season or competition: 2025–26 EWHL season | |
 | |
| Formerly | Elite Women's Hockey League, 2005–2019 |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 2004 (2004) |
| Founder | International Ice Hockey Federation |
| First season | 2004–05 |
| Director | Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation |
| President | Martin Kogler |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Countries | Austria, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia |
| Headquarters | Göstingerstraße 111 Graz, Austria |
Most recent champion |  Sabres St. Pölten (2025–26) |
| Most titles | Sabres St. Pölten (7) |
| Sponsor | Tippmix |
| International cup | EWHL Super Cup |
| Website | Official website |
The European Women's Hockey League, abbreviated EWHL, is an international ice hockey league. Created as the Elite Women's Hockey League in 2004 by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the EWHL comprises clubs from several countries in Central Europe and one team from Kazakhstan, and is played in parallel to national championships.
History
The EWHL was created in 2004 on the same principle as the men's ice hockey Interliga. For its first season, the EWHL featured teams from Austria, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. Teams from additional countries joined the league during the following seasons, including HC Slovan Bratislava from Slovakia in 2005, KHL Grič Zagreb from Croatia in 2006, and HC Slavia Praha from the Czech Republic in 2007. In the 2008–09 season, the Italian and Hungarian teams gave way to two clubs from Germany, OSC Berlin and ESC Planegg. During the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, the Netherlands national team participated in the EWHL.1
Before the 2019–20 season, the Elite Women's Hockey League was renamed, becoming the European Women's Hockey League to reflect its unique position within European women's ice hockey.2 Also, the Polish women's national team joined the league in 2019, playing as the Silesia Brackens and later under the name Silesian Metropolis Katowice.3 The Hungarian team KMH Budapest rejoined the league, and MAC Budapest was added.
The EWHL is mostly played in a championship format with home and away matches, with the exception of the 2005–06 season where the teams were distributed in two regional divisions followed by qualifying rounds. For the 2010–11 season, the regular season was followed by a play-off between the four teams at the top of the league table.
Though they joined the league in the 2015–16 season, Kazakh team Aisulu Almaty has played only two EWHL games from their home arena, Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, due to the significant travel distance. The 2019–20 season provided the first opportunity for Aisulu to play EWHL matches in front of a home crowd, when they hosted the EHV Sabres for a two game series during 19–20 October 2019.4
Since the 2019–20 season, the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation has overseen the league. The league president is Martin Kogler.5
In March 2023, a group of eighteen players founded the European Women's Hockey League Players' Association (EWHLPA). The organization's driving purpose is to address players' concerns and advocate for changes on players' behalf, while also playing an active role in the development of the league.6
Teams
2025–26 season
| Team name | Location | Home venue | Head coach | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aisulu Almaty |  Almaty
|
Baluan Sholak Sports Palacea | Alexandr Maltsev | Aida Olzhabayeva |
| Zeltweg
|
Aichfeldhallea | |||
| Budapest JA |  Budapest
|
Tüskesátor | Levente Szilágyi | |
| DEC Salzburg Eagles | Salzburg
|
Eisarena Volksgarten | Eva-Maria Verworner | Agnese Apsīte |
| EVB Eagles Südtirol |  Bolzano
|
Sparkasse Arena | Stefano Daprà | Jacqueline Pierri |
| Graz99ers Huskies7 | Graz
|
Merkur Eisstadion | Pavel Stepanenko | Tamara Grascher |
| HK PSRŽ Bratislava |  Bratislava
|
Zimný štadión Vladimíra Dzurillu (Ružinov) | Miroslav Mosnár | Janka Hlinková |
| Lakers Kärnten | Ferlach
|
Hockey-Trainingszentrum | Günther Ropatsch | Valentina Ropatsch |
| MAC Budapest | Budapest
|
Mátyásföldi Jégcsarnok | Zoltán Fodor | Jet Milders |
| Metropolia Silesia |  Katowice
|
Lodowisko Satelita at Spodek | Arkadiusz Sobecki | Karolina Późniewska |
| Neuburg Highlanders | Neuberg an der Mürz
|
Sportzentrum Kapfenberg (Kapfenberg) | David Picka | Hilde Huisman |
| SKN Sabres St. Pölten | Sankt Pölten
|
Sportzentrum NÖ | Stephan Brozovsky | Charlotte Wittich |
| VSV Lady Hawks | Villach
|
Villacher Stadthalle | Anthony London | Līga Miljone |
Source: ÖEHV8
- Aisulu Almaty is officially based at Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The team uses Aichfeldhalle at Sportzentrum Zeltweg in Zeltweg, Austria as its home venue for EWHL matches due to the massive distance between Almaty and all other EWHL home venues.
Former teams
|
Austria
Belarus Croatia
Czechia
|
Denmark
Germany
Hungary
Italy
|
Netherlands Slovakia
Slovenia
|
Champions
| # | Years |  Gold
|
 Silver
|
 Bronze
|
No. of teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004 | EHV Sabres
|
 HK Terme Maribor
|
HC Agordo
|
8 |
| 2 | 2005–06 | HC Slovan Bratislava
|
HK Terme Maribor
|
HC Eagles Bolzano
|
11 |
| 3 | 2006–07 | HC Slovan Bratislava
|
The Ravens Salzburg
|
HK Terme Maribor
|
12 |
| 4 | 2007–08 |  Slavia Praha
|
The Ravens Salzburg
|
EHV Sabres
|
11 |
| 5 | 2008–09 | Slavia Praha
|
 OSC Berlin
|
ESC Planegg
|
8 |
| 6 | 2009–10 | ESC Planegg
|
The Ravens Salzburg
|
EHV Sabres
|
6 |
| 7 | 2010–11 | EHV Sabres
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
ESC Planegg
|
8 |
| 8 | 2011–12 | EHV Sabres
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
 HK Pantera Minsk
|
6 |
| 9 | 2012–13 | HK Pantera Minsk
|
EHV Sabres
|
Salzburg Eagles
|
6 |
| 10 | 2013–14 | EV Bozen Eagles
|
Neuberg Highlanders
|
EHV Sabres
|
7 |
| 11 | 2014–15 | EHV Sabres
|
EV Bozen Eagles
|
Salzburg Eagles
|
6 |
| 12 | 2015–16 | EHV Sabres
|
Salzburg Eagles
|
Aisulu Almaty
|
7 |
| 13 | 2016–17 | EV Bozen Eagles
|
DEC Salzburg Eagles
|
HC ŠKP Bratislava
|
8 |
| 14 | 2017–18 | EHV Sabres
|
EV Bozen Eagles
|
KMH Budapest
|
8 |
| 15 | 2018–19 | KMH Budapest
|
EHV Sabres
|
EVB Eagles Südtirol
|
9 |
| 16 | 2019–20 | KMH Budapest
|
MAC Budapest
|
Aisulu Almaty
|
10 |
| 17 | 2020–21 | KMH Budapest
|
EHV Sabres
|
HC ŠKP Bratislava
|
9 |
| 18 | 2021–22 | KMH Budapest
|
Aisulu Almaty
|
EHV Sabres
|
11 |
| 19 | 2022–23 | Hokiklub Budapest
|
MAC Budapest
|
HC ŠKP Bratislava
|
10 |
| 20 | 2023–24 | HC ŠKP Bratislava
|
Hokiklub Budapest
|
MAC Budapest
|
12 |
| 21 | 2024–25 | Aisulu Almaty
|
Sabres St. Pölten
|
HK PSRŽ Bratislava
|
11 |
| 22 | 2025–26 | Sabres St. Pölten
|
Aisulu Almaty
|
MAC Budapest
|
12 |
Sources: European Women's Hockey League9101112
All-time medal count
Clubs
| Club | Gold
|
Silver
|
Bronze
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
SKN Sabres St. Pöltena | 7 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| 2 | |
ŠKP Bratislavab | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 3 | |
Hokiklub Budapestc | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | |
EVB Eagles Südtirold | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | |
Slavia Praha | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | |
Aisulu Almaty | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | |
ESC Planegg | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 8 | |
HK Pantera Minsk | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | |
DEC Salzburg Eaglese | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| 10 | |
MAC Budapest | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 11 | |
HK Terme Maribor | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 12 | |
OSC Berlin | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
|
Neuburg Highlanders | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 13 | |
HC Eagles Bolzano | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
|
HC Agordo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
|
HK PSRŽ Bratislava | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
- Includes record as EHV Sabres
- Includes record as Slovan Bratislava
- Includes record as KMH Budapest
- Includes record as EV Bozen Eagles
- Includes record as Ravens Salzburg/The Ravens Salzburg
Nations
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austria | 7 | 10 | 6 | 23 |
| 2 | Hungary | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 3 | Slovakia | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
| 4 | Italy | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Czech Republic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 8 | Belarus | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Slovenia | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Totals (9 entries) | 22 | 22 | 23 | 67 | |
See also
See also
References
References
- The Netherlands wishing to offer more competitive matches to their top Women players. Source: EWHL Website
- "EWHL-Premiere in Sterzing". EV Bozen Hockey Academy (in German). 8 September 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- Krzywicki, Benjamin (27 June 2019). "Three Polish National Teams to Play In Foreign Leagues". Polish Puck. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- Manninen, Henrik (19 October 2019). "EWHL goes to Central Asia". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- "EWHL to move under the HIHF". visegradhockey.hu. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- Kennedy, Ian (17 August 2023). "EWHL Members Form Players' Association". The Hockey News. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- O'Brien, Derek (9 November 2023). "Barbier bringing her knowledge to the next generation". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- "European Women's Hockey League: 2025/26 Tabelle". Austrian Ice Hockey Association (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- "EWHL League Champion 2022-23: Hokiklub Budapest". European Women's Hockey League. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- "EWHL League Champion 2023-24: HC SKP Bratislava". European Women's Hockey League (in English and German). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- "Aisulu Almaty Crowned EWHL Champion 2024/24". European Women's Hockey League. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 15 April 2025.
- "Sabres Crowned 2025/26 EWHL Champions". European Women's Hockey League. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.