Today marks the six-month countdown to puck drop of the women’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy.

With the Games quickly approaching, here is an early look at each team competing for gold, silver and bronze. The 2026 Games will be the eighth to feature women’s hockey.

Is 2026 the year that someone other than Canada or the United States captures gold?

Group A

Canada
The defending and five-time Olympic champions are a favourite to once again capture gold. Canada has won three of the past five IIHF World Women’s Championships but dropped the 2025 final 4-3 in overtime to, who else, but Team USA. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin might play in her fifth Olympic Winter Games and might attempt to add to her legacy, which is already among the game’s greatest ever. Canada won gold in 2022 in Beijing on the strength of Poulin’s two goals during a 3-2 victory over the United States.

Czechia
Goaltender Klara Peslarova should end up being a big story at these Games if Czechia medals. Peslarova had an outstanding 2025 World Championship, capped by a 43-save performance in the 2-1 loss to the Americans in semi-final play. Forwards Katerina Mrazova and Denisa Krizova have been mainstays with this team for a decade and a half and will be looked upon to provide leadership to a group that is still young, as the Czechs’ average age might be around 23.

Finland
The perennial bronze medal winners (Finland has won four bronze medals at the Olympics and finished third in back-to-back World Championships) are knocking on the door and will look to qualify for the Olympic gold medal game for the first time. The low-scoring Finns have long been about team structure and defence, smothering teams and striking when an opportunity presents itself. That isn’t expected to change in Italy. Defender Ronja Savolainen led all Finns in points with six at the 2025 Worlds, which put her in a tie for 13^th among all skaters. This should be a well-organized, responsible group trying to win 2-1 hockey games.

Switzerland
The Swiss won bronze at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia for the nation’s lone medal in women’s hockey at the Olympics. Three straight trips to the bronze medal game at worlds (2021, 2022, 2023) vaulted the team into the upper echelon of the sport but fans are waiting patiently for the Swiss to break through. The Swiss had a rough 2025 Worlds, scoring just once in four preliminary-round games (all losses), before being blown out 7-0 by Czechia in the quarters. Still, Captain Lara Stalder and the Swiss shouldn’t be counted out from re-discovering their scoring touch and nabbing a medal in Italy.

United States
Eleven gold medals in the last 16 IIHF World Women’s Championships should be reason enough to consider Team USA the Number 1 favourite heading into the Olympics. But Canada seems to have the Americans’ number at the Olympics, as Team USA has won just two of the seven gold medals since women’s hockey made its debut at the 1998 Games (USA won in ’98 and 2018). In a rivalry that really is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ back-and-forth battle, the Americans currently have the upper hand thanks to Tessa Janecke’s overtime winner in the 2025 worlds final that gave USA the gold medal over Canada. Hilary Knight, like Poulin on the Canadian side, will look to add to an incredibly impressive career and lead the Americans to their third Olympic gold.

Group B

France
The French beat Poland and China at its Olympic qualifier in February but dropped a critical game 7-1 to Japan. That meant France finished second in the event but still qualified for the Olympics thanks to its combined ranking from the three final qualification groups. France will compete at the Olympics for the first time and, given its status as a perennial Worlds 1A competitor, remaining competitive with some of the Olympic mainstays and heavyweights should be a goal. The Olympics can be a stage for the underdogs to surprise the world and France’s women’s hockey team is as underdog as it can get.

Germany
In what was arguably the biggest women’s hockey game in Germany history, Luisa Welcke was the hero as her third-period goal snapped a 1-1 tie and gave the Germans a 2-1 lead they would hold against Hungary in February Olympic qualifying. The winner-takes-all showdown put the Germans into the 2026 Olympic tournament where their goal will be to finish among the top three Group B teams and advance to the quarter-finals.

“Making it to the Olympics has been a dream of mine since my childhood and I’m just plain ecstatic that we’ve done it and that this dream is going to come true,” Welcke said.

Italy
The 2026 Games will mark 20 years since Italy last hosted the Olympics and, also, 20 years since Italy played in the women’s hockey tournament. The Azzurre finished eighth at those 2026 Games and, like France, may be in touch to compete in the upcoming Games. But, as they say, the game is played for a reason so best not to discount the Italians quite yet. Italy finished first at the Division 1B Worlds and were promoted to the 1A championship for 2026.

Japan
Smile Japan ran the table at its Olympic qualifier with three wins on home soil against France, Poland and China. Akane Shiga (two goals, four assists) and Yumeka Wajima (five goals) carried the offensive load for the champs and will be looked to for scoring prowess at the Olympics. Japan is currently seventh in the IIHF rankings and, like its competitors in Group B, will be looking to crack the top 8 and advance to the quarter-finals.

Sweden
Sweden is still the only nation not named Canada or the United States to play in an Olympic gold medal game (the Swedes won silver in 2006). But a team that has been historically among the top three or four needed qualifying to get into the 2026 Olympics, dispatching Denmark 5-0 in February to qualify for the Games. Sara Hjalmarsson, Lisa Johansson and Sofie Lundin finished tied with five points each to lead scoring at the qualifying tournament in Gavle and will be counted on to lead the Swedish attack in Italy. Advancing to the quarter-finals should be expected for this group and maybe the Swedes surprise a team in Group A and vie for a medal.

Take a look at the medals!

Whatever three teams make the podium of the women’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games can look forward to owning a beautiful piece of hardware. With the countdown on to the women’s hockey tournament at the Games, the host committee has released photos of the medals the athletes will be competing for.

The key feature of the 2026 medal is the union of two parts in constant motion, “highlighted by the contrast between a granular texture and a mirrored surface.”

https://milanocortina2026.olympics.com/en/medals

 

 

 

 

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