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.The Netherlands wishing to offer more competitive matches to their top Women players. Source: EWHL Website
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. 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. 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.
Since the 2019–20 season, the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation has overseen the league. The league president is Martin Kogler.
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.
Teams 2025–26 season Team name Location Home venue Head coach CaptainAisulu Almaty Almaty Baluan Sholak Sports Palace Zeltweg Budapest JA Budapest Tüskesátor DEC Salzburg Eagles Salzburg Eisarena Volksgarten EVB Eagles Südtirol Bolzano Sparkasse Arena Graz99ers Huskies Graz Merkur Eisstadion HK PSRŽ Bratislava Bratislava Lakers Kärnten Ferlach Hockey-Trainingszentrum MAC Budapest Budapest Mátyásföldi Jégcsarnok Metropolia Silesia Katowice Lodowisko Satelita at Spodek Neuburg Highlanders Sportzentrum Kapfenberg (Kapfenberg) SKN Sabres St. Pölten Sankt Pölten VSV Lady Hawks Villach Villacher Stadthalle Source: ÖEHV
Former teams
Austria DEC Dragons Klagenfurt Southern Stars SPG Sabres/Flyers United WE-V Flyers
Belarus HK Pantera Minsk
Croatia KHL Grič Zagreb
Czechia HC Slavia Praha
Denmark Hvidovre IK
Germany ESC Planegg-Würmtal OSC Eisladies Berlin
Hungary Budapest Stars Hokiklub Budapest MAC Marilyn Budapest
Italy HC Agordo HC Eagles Bolzano
Netherlands Netherlands women's national team
Slovakia HC Slovan Bratislava HK Spišská Nová Ves MHK Martin ŽHK Poprad (Popradské Líšky)
Slovenia HDK Maribor HK Gorenjska HK Olimpija Ljubljana HK Terme Maribor HK Triglav Kranj
Champions # Years Gold Silver BronzeNo. of teams12004 EHV Sabres HK Terme Maribor HC Agordo 822005–06 HC Slovan Bratislava HK Terme Maribor HC Eagles Bolzano 1132006–07 HC Slovan Bratislava The Ravens Salzburg HK Terme Maribor 1242007–08 Slavia Praha The Ravens Salzburg EHV Sabres 1152008–09 Slavia Praha OSC Berlin ESC Planegg 862009–10 ESC Planegg The Ravens Salzburg EHV Sabres672010–11 EHV Sabres Slovan Bratislava ESC Planegg882011–12 EHV Sabres Slovan Bratislava HK Pantera Minsk692012–13 HK Pantera Minsk EHV Sabres Salzburg Eagles6102013–14 EV Bozen Eagles Neuberg Highlanders EHV Sabres7112014–15 EHV Sabres EV Bozen Eagles Salzburg Eagles 6122015–16 EHV Sabres Salzburg Eagles Aisulu Almaty 7132016–17 EV Bozen Eagles DEC Salzburg Eagles HC ŠKP Bratislava 8142017–18 EHV Sabres EV Bozen Eagles KMH Budapest 8152018–19 KMH Budapest EHV Sabres EVB Eagles Südtirol 9162019–20 KMH Budapest MAC Budapest Aisulu Almaty 1017 2020–21 KMH Budapest EHV Sabres HC ŠKP Bratislava 918 2021–22 KMH Budapest Aisulu Almaty EHV Sabres 1119 2022–23 Hokiklub Budapest MAC Budapest HC ŠKP Bratislava 1020 2023–24 HC ŠKP Bratislava Hokiklub Budapest MAC Budapest 1221 2024–25 Aisulu Almaty Sabres St. Pölten HK PSRŽ Bratislava 1122 2025–26 Sabres St. Pölten Aisulu Almaty MAC Budapest 12 Sources: European Women's Hockey League
All-time medal count Clubs Club Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 SKN Sabres St. Pölten 7 4 4 15 2 ŠKP Bratislava 3 2 3 8 3 Hokiklub Budapest 5 1 1 7 4 EVB Eagles Südtirol 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 Eagles 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 0 113 HC Eagles Bolzano 0 0 1 1 HC Agordo 0 0 1 1 HK PSRŽ Bratislava 0 0 1 1
Nations
See also EWHL Super Cup IIHF European Women's Champions Cup Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga German women's ice hockey Bundesliga
References
External links
EWHL News European Women's Hockey Journal