Italy

'Italy is a country in south-central Europe. Rome is the capital and largest city.

History of hockey in Italy
The first ice hockey team in Italy was founded in Torino in 1911. Also in 1911, an Italian team called Circolo Pattinatori Valentio played a game against a team from Lyon, France. Hockey's popularity soon grew, particularly in the northern regions of Italy. The first indoor ice rink was opened in Milan in 1923.

Italy's first ice hockey association was founded in 1924, and the country joined the IIHF on January 24 of the same year.

The first national championship was contested in 1925. HC Bolzano has won the most Italian championships, with 19. The Serie A2 functions as the second-level Italian league, and the Serie C operates as the third level league. The Coppa Italia was held in 1973, 1974, 1991, 1998, and yearly since 2001. The Supercoppa Italiana has been contested annually since 2001.

The men's national team made its international debut in 1924, finishing in fifth place in the European Championships. They also participated in the European Championships in 1929 and 1932. They participated in the 1930 World Championships, finishing in 10th place. Their best finish at the World Championships was sixth place in 1994. They have participated in the Olympics nine times, with their first appearance coming in 1956. Their best finish was seventh place in 1956.

The women's national team first appeared on the international scene in 1999, playing in the Women's World Championship Pool B. They have participated in the Women's World Championships annually since then. Their lone appearance at the Olympics was in 2006, where they finished in eighth place. The Women's U18 national team participated in the 2012 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Division I Qualification tournament, where they finished in fourth place.

The junior national team made its debut at the World Junior Championships in 1979, finishing in seventh place in Pool C. Their best finish was third place in Pool B in 1993.