The fastest team sport in the world was added to the sports programme of the Winter Universiade for the 2nd edition in Villars, Switzerland in 1962. In 2009, at the 24th edition in Harbin, China, the women’s tournament was added as well. Simply the right decision as both exciting tournaments always attract big crowds!

Ice Hockey Competitions

The men’s tournament is organised with twelve (12) teams and the women’s tournament with eight (8) teams. These tournaments take place on two competition ice rinks and one training ice rink. The running of competitions is always supervised by the FISU Technical Committee Chairs for Ice Hockey and the IIHF Technical Delegate, who chair all technical meetings concerned. The whole sports infrastructure for Ice Hockey must be provided with the necessary equipment by the Organising Committee of the host country. The student competitions in Ice Hockey have become much more interesting in terms of coverage thanks to the cooperation with TV sports magazines, highlights and live broadcasting. Former participants can be found on the rosters of some national teams participating in the IIHF World Championships and Olympics, as well as on the rosters of elite clubs (e.g. RUS, BLR, FIN, SVK, CAN, KAZ, POL, JPN, KOR, CHN, AUT & ITA).

The History of Ice Hockey in FISU

After the success of the 1960 edition in Chamonix, France, the FISU World University Games have confirmed their place among the world’s most important winter multi-sport events. Ice Hockey is the most popular team sport on ice, which has been included step by step into the FISU Games.

The first men’s Ice Hockey tournament at the Winter Universiade took place in 1962 in Villars, Switzerland, featuring four teams: 1. Czechoslovakia; 2. Soviet Union; 3. Sweden; 4. Switzerland.

Since 1962, the Ice Hockey men’s tournament has been part of the Winter Universiade programme for 24 times and it has become one of the most attractive sports of FISU’s winter event. In addition, FISU included women’s Ice Hockey for the first time on the programme of the 2009 WU in Harbin, China, where six teams (countries) competed. During the Erzurum 2011 Winter Universiade, 122 athletes from six countries competed in the women’s tournament. The women's tournament has been a steady presence since, being part of the FISU Games sport programme every year since. Thanks to the good cooperation between FISU and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), FISU keep following the development of Ice Hockey as an international university sport.

Ice Hockey | Men's Gold Medal Game: RUS vs SVK | Winter Universiade 2019

Previous Events

• 2019 - 29th Winter Universiade - Krasnoyarsk (RUS)
• 2017 - 28th Winter Universiade - Almaty (KAZ)
• 2015 - 27th Winter Universiade – Granada (ESP)
• 2013 - 26th Winter Universiade – Trentino (ITA)
• 2011 - 25th Winter Universiade – Erzurum (TUR)
• 2009 - 24th Winter Universiade – Harbin (CHN)
• 2007 - 23rd Winter Universiade – Torino (ITA)
• 2005 - 22nd Winter Universiade – Innsbruck (AUT)
• 2003 - 21st Winter Universiade – Tarvisio (ITA)
• 2001 - 20th Winter Universiade – Zakopane (POL)
• 1999 - 19th Winter Universiade – Poprad/Tatry (SVK)
• 1997 - 18th Winter Universiade – Chonju/Muju (KOR)
• 1995 - 17th Winter Universiade – Jaca (ESP)
• 1993 - 16th Winter Universiade – Zakopane (POL)
• 1991 - 15th Winter Universiade – Sapporo (JPN)
• 1989 - 14th Winter Universiade – Sofia (BUL)
• 1987 - 13th Winter Universiade - Strbske Pleso (TCH)
• 1985 - 12th Winter Universiade – Belluno (ITA)
• 1983 - 11th Winter Universiade – Sofia (BUL)
• 1981 - 10th Winter Universiade – Jaca (ESP)
• 1972 - 7th Winter Universiade - Lake Placid (USA)
• 1970 - 6th Winter Universiade – Rovaniemi (FIN)
• 1968 - 5th Winter Universiade – Innsbruck (AUT)
• 1966 - 4th Winter Universiade – Sestriere (ITA)
• 1962 - 2nd Winter Universiade – Villars (SUI)
• 1960 - 1st Winter Universiade – Chamonix (FRA)