Hockey around the world

This page lists the hockey activities for every country in the world.

Afghanistan: There was an ice rink in Kabul, but it was closed and later destroyed. A 13 team ball hockey league was created by Canadian soldiers in 2006. There are ball hockey rinks in Kabul and Kandahar.

Albania: No ice hockey is played and there are no indoor rinks. The Pogradec Lake is however used for skating in the winter months.

Algeria: The Algerian Ice and Inline Hockey Federation exists. There is an ice rink Tizi Ouzo, and 2 in Algiers. The national team participated in the Arab Cup of Ice Hockey in 2008, going 0-4, and finishing in last place. Josef Boumedienne has an Algerian father.

Andorra: IIHF member. There is an ice rink in Canillo. There are 56 registered players. There is a team, Andorra Hoquei Gel. Canillo hosted the 1997 D Pool World Championships.

Angola: Roller hockey is played, but no ice rinks or ice hockey. In 2006 Luanda was the host for the first World Roller Club Championships. 12 teams from 7 countries participated. In 1992, Angola finished 9 at the Summer Olympics, where roller hockey was a demonstration sport.

Antigua and Barbuda: There are no ice rinks and no hockey is played.

Argentina: IIHF member. Close to 30 rinks, 1 IIHF standard rink. 966 registered players. 29 registered referees. The men’s national made its debut on February 18, 2012, losing 5:1 to Mexico. A repeat of the game was held on the 19th, with Argentina falling 10:1. The women’s national team also made its debut on February 18th, 2012, beating Mexico 1:0 in their first international game. Mexico defeated the Argentines 7:1 on the 19th.

Armenia: IIHF member. 5 rinks. 578 registered players. 27 registered referees. The Armenian Hockey League, founded in 2000, is the country’s national league. Teams are HC Urartu Yerevan, Dinamo Yerevan, Shirak Gyumri, SCA Yerevan, and Shengavit Yerevan. Armenia has men’s and junior national teams. The Armenian men’s national team was suspended by the IIHF in April, 2010, for use of ineligible players in the 2008 Division III Qualification tournament, and the 2010 Division IIIB tournament. The Armenian junior national team participated in the World U20 Championships in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Australia: IIHF member. 21 rinks. 3,188 registered players. 283 registered referees. The Australian Ice Hockey League has been the country’s national league since 2000. Prior to that, the Goodall Cup was the national championship from 1909-1999. It is now awarded to the AIHL champion. From 1955-1976 an Australian Club Championship was also held. Australia has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Austria: IIHF member. 117 rinks. 10,489 registered players. 435 registered referees. In 1912, Austria hosted the European Championships, finishing in 3rd place. The tournament was later annulled, because Austria was not an IIHF member at the time. The Erste Bank Eishockeyliga, founded as the Austrian Championship in 1922, is the top level league, and also consists of teams from Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovenia. The Nationalliga is the second level league, and the Oberliga is the third level league. Austria has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Azerbaijan: IIHF member. Two rinks in Baku, the Glavbakstroy Sports Palace, and the Elite Shopping Centre. In 1961 Baku hosted a tournament were the different soviet republics played against each other. Azerbaijan did not have a team at the tournament

Bahamas: There is a rink at Breezes Ski Resort. The rink measures 1,600 sq ft and is open 24 hours a day. Ice hockey skates, sticks, and pucks are given to guests during their stay. No competitive games are played.

Bahrain: One rink with a small recreational hockey league. Bahrain has sent teams to tournaments around Asia. Bahraini teams won tournaments in Dubai in 1995 and 1996 and finished as runner ups in 1994. The Bahraini national team participated at the Asian Winter Games in 2011, going 0-6.

Bangladesh: There is an ice rink in Dhaka; with some hockey activities.

Barbados: There are no ice rinks and no hockey is played. Shawn Belle, Fred Braithwaite, Anson Carter, Mike Grier, Jamal Mayers, Kevin Weekes, and Peter Worrell all have Barbadian roots.

Belarus: IIHF member. 31 rinks. 4,374 registered players. 128 registered referees. Hockey was developed in Belarus after World War II, and Dynamo Minsk was founded in 1946. They played in the top level Soviet League. The Belarusian Extraliga, founded in 1992, is the top level league, and the Vysshaya Liga is the second level league. When Belarus was part of the USSR, an unofficial Belarusian Championship was contested in some years. Belarus has men’s and junior national teams.

Belgium: IIHF member. 16 rinks. 1,157 registered players. 234 registered referees. The Belgian Hockey League, founded in 1911, is the top level league, and the Belgian National League is the second level league. The top Belgian teams also participate in the North Sea Cup, which has teams from Belgium and the Netherlands. Since 1986, the Belgian Cup has also been contested. The Belgian Supercup was held from 2002-2006. Belgium has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Belize: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Benin: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Bhutan: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Bolivia: Ice hockey activities existed in the 1970s, but no hockey is played now, although the country has rinks in Santa Cruz de La Sierra and La Paz.

Botswana: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: IIHF member. 2 rinks. 208 registered players. 5 registered referees. Teams are HK Bosna, HK Stari Grad, HK Ilidza 2010, and HK Alfa. A national championship was first held in 2002-03, but was not contested again until 2009-10. It has been contested yearly since then. The Bosnian Cup (also known as the Jaroslav Jandourek Cup) has been held since 2010. Bosnia’s men’s national team participated in the Division III qualification in 2008, losing 10:1 to Greece, and 18:1 to Armenia. The result was later changed to a 5:0 Forfeit victory for Bosnia, after it was found that Armenia had used several ineligible players. Bosnia also has a junior team, which participated in the U18 World Championships in 2003 and 2004.

Brazil: IIHF member. There are a number of rinks around the country. The Brazilian Championship has been contested since 2008.

Brunei: There is an ice rink in Bandar Seri Begawan. No hockey is played. Craig Adams, who won a Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006, was born in Brunei.

Bulgaria: IIHF member. 8 rinks. 230 registered players. 33 registered referees. The Bulgarian Hockey League, founded in 1952, is the country’s top level league. The Balkan League, which also consists of teams from Greece, is the amateur second level of hockey. Prior to the founding of the Bulgarian Hockey League, various tournaments were played. From 1927-1934, the Bulgarian Tournament Cup was held. From 1935-1943, the BFKHL Cup was held (the 1944 edition was not completed because of WWII). In 1949 the Championship on the occasion of V congress of BCP was held. In 1950 and 1951, the Metropolitan Championship was held. The Bulgarian Cup has been contested since 1954. Bulgaria has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Burkina Faso no ice rinks and no hockey is played. Benjamin Agnel, who played for the French National Team, was born in Ouagadougou.

Burma: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Burundi: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Cambodia: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Cameroon: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Canada: IIHF member. 7,486 rinks. 572,411 registered players. Referee data is unavailable. Seven Canadian teams participate in the National Hockey League. Canadian teams also participate in several North American minor leagues, the AHL, ECHL, and the LNAH. Canada has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams. The Allan Cup, awarded since 1909, is the canadian national senior championship. The Memorial Cup, awarded since 1919, is the canadian major junior national championship. The University Cup, organized by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), has been awarded since 1963.

Cape Verde Islands: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Central African Republic: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played. Chad: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Chile: IIHF member. There are ice rinks rinks in Santiago and Puerto Montt. No ice hockey is played.

China: IIHF member. 53 rinks. 613 registered players. 95 registered referees. The Chinese Ice Hockey Championship has been held since 1953. The country’s top club, China Dragon, plays in the multi-national Asia League. China has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Chinese Taipei: IIHF member. 12 rinks. 848 registered players. 78 registered referees. The Chinese Taipei Ice Hockey League has existed as the country’s top level league since 2004. Prior to that, in some years, a national championship was contested. Chinese Taipei has men’s and junior national teams.

Colombia: There are two ice rinks in Bogota, but no hockey is played.

Comoros: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Congo: There are no ice rinks and no ice hockey is played.

Costa Rica: An ice rink exists. A youth team, the El Castillo Knights have existed since 1997.

Croatia: IIHF member. 6 rinks. 437 registered players. 11 registered referees. The Croatian Ice Hockey League, founded in 1991, is the country’s national league. KHL Medvescak Zagreb also competes in the top level Austrian league, the Erste Bank Eishockeyliga. KHL Medvescak Zagreb II and KHL Mladost participate in the Slohokej Liga, which has teams from Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria. Croatia has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Cuba: Cuba was represented by the Havana Tropicals, who were based out of Miami, in the Tropical Hockey League in 1938-39. There are no ice rinks in the country, and no ice hockey is played.

Cyprus: There is an ice rink in Famagusta, which is in Northern Cyprus. Limassol also has an ice rink. There are two teams, the Limassol Solar Bears, and the Famagusta Ice Crows, which come from Northern Cyprus.

Czech Republic: IIHF member. 81 rinks. 100,668 registered players. 49 registered referees. The Czech Extraliga, founded in 1993, is the top level league, the 1. Liga is the second level league, and the 2. Liga is the third level league. The Tipsport Hockey Cup has been contested since 2000. The Czech Republic has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Denmark: IIHF member. 23 rinks. 4,405 registered players. 93 registered referees. The AL-Bank Ligaen, founded in 1954, is the top level league, and Division 1 is the second level league. The Danish Cup has been held since 1997. Denmark has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Djibouti There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Dominica: There are no no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Dominican Republic: There is an ice rink in Santo Domingo. But no ice hockey is played.

Ecuador: There is an ice rink in Quito. There is a pick-up hockey league.

East Timor/ Timor-Leste: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Egypt: There is a regular ice rink in Sharm El Sheikh, and an artificial ice rink in Cairo. No ice hockey is played.

El Salvador: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Eritrea: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Equatorial Guinea: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Estonia: IIHF member. 21 rinks. 1,510 registered players. 154 registered referees. The Meistriliiga, founded in 1934, is the country’s national league. It was still contested, even when Estonia was part of the Soviet Union. In the 2006-07 season, a second level league, the Esiliiga was also held. From 1996-1998, and in 2007, the Estonian Cup was contested. In 2008, the Estonian Supercup was held. Estonia has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Ethiopia: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Fiji: There is an ice rink in Nadi. But no hockey is played.

Finland: IIHF member. 276 rinks. 65,251 registered players. 52 registered referees. The SM-liiga is the top level league, the Mestis is the second level league, the Suomi-sarja is the third level league, and the II-Divisioona is the fourth level league. The SM-sarja was the top level league from 1927-1975, before it was replaced by the SM-liiga. In 1964 and 1965, the Finnish Cup was contested. Finland has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

France: IIHF member. 129 rinks. 17,381 registered players. 129 registered referees. The Ligue Magnus, founded in 1906, is the top level league, Division 1 is the second level league, Division 2 is the third level league, and Division 3 is the fourth and lowest level league. The Coupe de France was held from 1975-1978, 1987, 1994, and yearly since 2000. The Coupe de la Ligue and Match des Champions have both been held since 2007. France has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Gabon: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Gambia: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Georgia: IIHF member. 3 rinks. 207 registered players. 4 registered referees. There was a 4 team league that operated in the 2007-08 season. The 4 teams that participated in the league were the Ice Knights, Grey Wolves, Mimino, and the Fiery Crusaders. In 1962, the Georgian SSR played against the Lithuanian, Kazakh, Armenian, and Kirghiz SSR’s, going 2-2. The national team did not played any games until 2010, when they played South Africa, losing 8:1, and Armenia, losing 22:1.

Germany: IIHF member. 219 rinks. 28,932 registered players. 81 registered referees. The Deutsche Eishockey-Liga, founded in 1994, is the top level league, the 2. Eishockey-Bundesliga is the second level league, the Oberliga is the third level league, and the Regionalliga is the fourth level league. The German Ice Hockey Championship was contested from 1912-1948. The Oberliga, currently the third level league, was the top level league in West Germany from 1948-1958, and the Bundesliga was the top level league from 1958-1994. The German Cup (Deutscher Eishockey-Pokal) has been held yearly since 2002. Germany has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Ghana: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Great Britain: IIHF member. 46 rinks. 4,901 registered players. 271 registered referees. The Elite Ice Hockey League is the country’s top level league, the English Premier Ice Hockey League is the second level league, and the English National Ice Hockey League is the third level league. The Scottish National League is the top level league in Scotland, and the de-facto fourth level British league. The Elite Ice Hockey League has teams from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Prior to the Elite Ice Hockey League, the British National League was the top level league from 1954-1960, the British Championship was the national championship from 1966-1982, the British Hockey League was the top level league from 1982-1996, and the Ice Hockey Superleague was the top level league from 1996-2003. The English Cup was held in 1999, 2001, and 2002. Great Britain has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams. The Scottish Cup has been held since 1997, the Scottish Autumn Cup since 2001, and the Scottish Spring Cup from 2001-2006. Scotland and England both have men’s and women’s national teams, and Wales has a women’s national team.

Greece: IIHF member. 4 rinks. 713 registered players. 6 registered referees. The Greek Ice Hockey Championship has been contested on-and-off since 1989. Greece has men’s and junior national teams.

Grenada: There are 2 ice rinks. No ice hockey is played.

Guatemala: There are 2 rinks in Guatemala City. No ice hockey is played.

Guinea: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Guinea-Bissau: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Guyana: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Haiti: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Honduras: There is an ice rink in a mall. No ice hockey is played.

Hong Kong: IIHF member. 5 rinks. 496 registered players. 9 registered referees. The Hong Kong Ice Hockey League has been played since 1995. Hong Kong has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Hungary: IIHF member. 38 rinks. 2,087 registered players. 77 registered referees. The OB I bajnoksag is the country’s top league, and the OB I/B bajnoksag is the second level league. The Hungarian Cup has been held since 1965, and in 1996 and 2008, the Hungarian Supercup was also held. Hungary has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Iceland: IIHF member. 3 rinks. 606 registered players. 25 registered referees. The Icelandic Hockey League has been the country’s national league since 1991. Before that, an Icelandic Championship was occasionally contested. Iceland has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

India: IIHF member. 12 rinks. 724 registered players. 10 registered referees. The Indian National Championship has been contested since 2001. India has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Indonesia: There are 3 ice rinks. There is a small recreational league in Jakarta.

Iran There is an ice rink in Tehran. No ice hockey is played.

Iraq: There is an ice rink. No hockey is played.

Ireland: IIHF member. Currently, no IIHF standard rinks in the country. 297 registered players. 18 registered referees. The Irish Ice Hockey League was the country’s national league from 2007-2010. Before the IIHL, a national championship was held in some years. Ireland has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Israel: IIHF member. 2 rinks. 500 registered players. 6 registered referees. The Israeli Hockey League, founded in 1993, is the national league in the country. Israel has men’s and junior national teams.

Italy: IIHF member. 69 rinks. 6,829 registered players. 144 registered referees. The Serie A, founded in 1924, is the top level league, the Serie A2 is the second level league, and the Serie C is the third level league. The Coppa Italia has held from 1973-1974, 1991, and 1998, before becoming an annual competition in 2001. Since 2001, the Supercoppa Italiana has also been held. Italy has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Ivory Coast/Cote d`Iviore: There is an ice rink in Abidjan. No hockey is played.

Jamaica: Inline hockey is played, but there are no ice rinks or ice hockey.

Japan: IIHF member. 124 rinks. 20,226 registered players. 628 registered referees. The Japan Ice Hockey League was the national league in the country from 1966-2004, when it folded in favor of the multi-national Asia League. Since 1933, a cup competition, the All-Japan Ice Hockey Championship has been held. A women’s counterpart has been held since 1982. Japan has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Jordan: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Kazakhstan: IIHF member. 16 rinks. 3,929 registered players. 38 registered referees. The Kazakhstani Championship, founded in 1992, is the country’s top level league. The Kazakhstan Cup has been held since the 2001-02 season, with the exception of 2004-05 and 2009. Kazakhstan’s top team, Barys Astana, participates in the Kontinental Hockey League. Kazakhstan has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Kenya: There is an ice rink in Nairobi. A pickup hockey league exists.

Kiribati: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Kuwait: IIHF member. 2 rinks. 229 registered players. 2 registered referees. In 2009, the Kuwaiti Hockey League was held, with Kuwait City winning. The league has not been held since. The Kuwaiti national team has participated in the Asian Winter Games in 1999, 2007, and 2011, the Gulf Ice Hockey Championship in 2010, and the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Kyrgyzstan: IIHF member. 320 registered players. 6 registered referees. A national championship has been held since 2008. In 1962 the Kyrgyz national team played a game against Lithuania losing 7-2. The national team participated at the ice hockey tournament at the 2011 Asian Winter Games, winning the Premier Division.

Laos: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Latvia: IIHF member. 17 rinks. 4,424 registered players. 177 registered referees. The Latvian Hockey League, first contested from 1931-1944, and then again from 1991 onward, is the country’s national league. The Latvian Cup has been held four times, in 1995, 1999, 2007, and 2008. Latvia has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Lebanon: They had a team, Veg Group Beirut, but the sole Lebanese rink closed.

Lesotho: An ice rink is planned at Tiffindel Ski Resort.

Liberia: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Libya: There is an ice rink in Benghazi. No hockey is played.

Liechtenstein: IIHF member. Currently no IIHF standard rinks. 79 registered players. No registered referees. There is a team, Vaduz-Schellenberg, that participates in the Swiss 4.Liga. The Lichtenstein national team has played two games against Luxembourg, losing 7:1 in 2003, and 4:2 in 2007.

Lithuania: IIHF member. 6 rinks. 547 registered players. 20 registered referees. The Lithuanian Hockey League, first contested from 1926-1942, and then again since 1991, is the country’s top level league. The Lithuanian Cup was held only in the year 2000. Lithuania has men’s and junior national teams.

Luxembourg: IIHF member. 4 rinks. 392 registered players. 34 registered referees. The country’s top team, Tornado Luxembourg, plays in the fourth level French ice hockey league, the French Division 3. The Luxembourg Championship was played on-and-off from 1993-2003. The Luxembourg Cup, was also contested yearly from 1993-2003. The Cup has also been held in the 2006-07, 2010-11, and 2011-12 seasons. Luxembourg has men’s and junior national teams.

Macau: IIHF member. 2 rinks. 106 registered players. No registered referees. The Macau men’s national team has participated in the Asian Winter Games in 2007, and the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia every year since 2008. The women’s national team played an exhibition game against Hong Kong in 2007, losing 13:0. Macau participated in the Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macau Ice Hockey League in 2007-08, going 0-1-5.

Macedonia: IIHF member. There is an ice rink in Skopje. In 2011, the national team played a game against a Bulgarian club team, Red Star Sofia, losing 4:1. In 2012, HK Skopje played three games in the multi-national Total TV Hockey League, losing 5:4 to Iraklis Thessaloniki, and twice to HK Bosna, 3:1 and 9:2.

Madagascar: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Malawi: There are 3 ice rinks. In 1978 a 4 team championship was played with the Ribadoui Royals winning, and Hassana finishing second. No ice hockey is played these days.

Malaysia: IIHF member. 1 rink. 154 registered players. 1 registered referee. The Malaysian Ice Hockey League has existed since 2002. The Malaysian national team participated at the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012, and the Asian Winter Games in 2007 and 2011.

Maldives: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Mali: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Malta: The only rink in the country has closed. There used to be a 4 team league, the Maltese Hockey League. No hockey activities now.

Marshall Islands: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Mauritania: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Mauritius: There is synthetic ice in the country. No hockey is played.

Mexico: IIHF member. 13 rinks. 1,254 registered players. 28 registered referees. The Liga Mexicana Elite has been the national league since 2010. Before the LME, a Mexican National Championship was held. Mexico has men’s, women’s. and junior national teams.

Micronesia: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Moldova: IIHF member. 2 rinks, but no IIHF standard rinks exist. In 2009-10, Dinamo Chisinau participated in the Romanian U12 League, and in 2010-11, they participated in the Romanian U14 League. In 2010, Platina Chisinau joined the Romanian U18 League.

Monaco: There is an outdoor ice rink. Some hockey is played.

Mongolia: IIHF member. 12 rinks. 1,001 registered players. 8 registered referees. The Mongolia Hockey League, founded in 1991, is the country’s national league. Mongolia has men’s and junior national teams.

Montenegro: There is an ice rink in Podgorica. No hockey is played.

Morocco: IIHF member. 1 rink. 117 registered players. 3 registered referees. There are 4 teams, the Rabat Capitals, Les Ifis, Falcons, and Cobras. The Moroccan national team participated in the Arab Cup of Ice Hockey in 2008, finishing in third place.

Mozambique: Grupo Desporvito de Maputo participated in roller hockey tournament in Angola in 2006. Roller hockey is a popular sport in the country. The country considered joining the IIHF for roller purposes.

Namibia: IIHF member. 5 rinks. 438 registered players. 57 registered referees. There is a team, the Windhoek Lions. Namibia is mainly an IIHF member for inline hockey.

Nauru: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Nepal: Lake Tilicho is frozen into an ice rink for a few months a year. No ice hockey is played.

Netherlands: IIHF member. 30 rinks. 2,485 registered players. 66 registered referees. The Eredivisie, founded in 1945, is the top level league, the Eerste Divisie is the second level league, the Tweede Divisie is the third level league, the Derde Divisie is the fourth level league, and the Vierde Divisie is the fifth level league. The Dutch Cup was held in 1938 and 1939, and then annually since 1971. The Dutch Supercup was held in 1998 only. The Netherlands has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

New Zealand: IIHF member. 9 rinks. 1,205 registered players. 116 registered referees. The New Zealand Ice Hockey League has been the national league since 2005. Prior to its founding, the New Zealandic Championship was contested in some years. New Zealand has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Nicaragua: There are no ice rinks, and no ice hockey is played.

Niger: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Nigeria: There is an ice rink in Lagos. No hockey is played.

North Korea: IIHF member. 24 rinks. 1,130 registered players. 30 registered referees. The North Korean Championship has been contested since 1956. North Korea has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Norway: IIHF member. 44 rinks. 6,177 registered players. 157 registered referees. The GET-Ligaen, founded in 1934, is the top level league, the 1. Divisjon is the second level league, the 2. Divisjon is the third level league, the 3. Divisjon is the fourth level league, and the 4. Divisjon is the fifth level league. Norway has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u18 national teams.

Oman : There is an ice rink. There are two teams, the Wadi Dogs, and Muscat Cobras. They Applied for an IIHF membership. The Omani National Team participated in the Gulf Ice Hockey Championship in 2010, going 0-3.

Pakistan: There are ice rinks in Lahore and Karachi. Hockey is played. Pakistan was denied an IIHF membership, but they will re-apply in 2012.

Palau: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Panama: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Papua New Guinea: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Paraguay: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Peru: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played. There used to be an ice rink in a mall in Lima.

Philippines: There are 3 rinks. There is a recreational ice hockey league around the capital, Manila, the Manila Ice Hockey League.

Poland: IIHF member. 89 rinks. 2,292 registered players. 76 registered referees. The Polska Liga Hokejowa, founded in 1926, is the top level league, and the Polish 1. Liga is the second level league. The Polish Cup was first held in 1970 and 1971, and has been contested annually since 2000. Poland has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Portugal: IIHF member. There is an ice rink. 116 registered players. 7 registered referees. 3 teams, the Viseu lobos, Inline All Stars, and Serta Vikings competed for the national championship in 2001. A repeat of the championship has not occurred. The Portuguese national team played three unofficial games against a team made up of Portuguese immigrants from the United States and Canada in 2000. The national team lost all three games to the First Portuguese Canadian Cultural Center, 18:6, 21:5, and 15:11.

Qatar: There are 2 ice rinks. The Qatar Ice Hockey League is Qatar’s national league.

Romania: IIHF member. 23 rinks. 994 registered players. 55 registered referees. The Romanian Hockey League, founded in 1923, is the top level league in the country. The Romanian Cup has been contested since 1969. Romania has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Russia: IIHF member. 2,340 rinks. 63,580 registered players. 235 registered referees. The multi-national Kontinental Hockey League is the top level league. The Vysshaya Hockey-Liga is the second level league, and the Russian Ice Hockey League (formerly the Pervaya Liga) is the third level league. Russia has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams. Before the KHL was founded in 2008, the International Hockey League was the top level league from 1992-1996, and the Superleague was the top level league from 1996-2008.

Rwanda: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Saint Kitts and Nevis: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Saint Lucia: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Samoa: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

San Marino: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Sao Tome and Principe: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Saudi Arabia: The Saudis participated in the Gulf Ice Hockey Championship in 2010, going 1-2. There are rinks in Dhahran, Jeddah, and Riyadh. They applied for an IIHF membership.

Senegal: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Serbia: IIHF member. 5 rinks. 564 registered players. 23 registered referees. The Serbian Hockey League, founded in 1991, is the country’s national league. The Serbian Cup has been held three times, in 1995 and 1996 as the Yugoslav Cup, and in 2007. Serbia’s top club, HK Partizan Belgrade, also participated in the multi-national Slohokej Liga. Serbia has men’s and junior national teams.

Seychelles: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Sierra Leone: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Singapore: IIHF member. 1 rink. 231 registered players. 16 registered referees. The Singapore National Ice Hockey League is the national league in the country. It was held yearly from 1995-2009, but has not been held since. The Singaporean national team participated in the IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia from 2008-2010.

Slovakia: IIHF member. 68 rinks. 8,280 registered players. 343 registered referees. The Slovak Extraliga, founded in 1993, is the top level league, the 1. Liga is the second level league, and the 2. Liga is the third level league. Slovakia has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Slovenia: IIHF member. 11 rinks. 943 registered players. 50 registered referees. Slovenian teams have participated in the multi-national Slohokej Liga since 2009. At the end of the year, there is a Slovenian Championship contested to decided the Slovenian national champion. The Slovenian Championship has been held since 1991. The Slovenian Cup was held in 1996, and in January and September of 2000. The Slovenian Supercup was only held in 1999. Slovenia has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Solomon Islands: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Somalia: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

South Africa: IIHF member. 4 rinks. 385 registered players. 10 registered referees. There are a two regional leagues in the country, the Gauteng League, and Western-Province Championship. The top teams meet for the national title in the Interprovincial Championships. South Africa has men’s and women’s national teams.

South Korea: IIHF member. 41 rinks. 1,880 registered players. The top Korean teams, Anyang Halla and High1 participate in the multi-national Asia League. The Korea Domestic Championship, open to both club teams and university teams, has been held since 1955. From 1996-2003, the Korean Ice Hockey League also existed.

Spain: IIHF member. 18 rinks. 760 registered players. 35 registered referees. The Superliga Espanola de Hockey Hielo is the top level league in the country. It was founded in 1972. The Copa del Rey has also been contested since the 1972-73 season. Spain has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Sri Lanka: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Sudan: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Suriname: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Swaziland: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Sweden: IIHF member. 478 rinks. 62,003 registered players. 41 registered referees. The Elitserien is the top level league, the HockeyAllsvenskan is the second level league, and Swedish Division 1-4 are the 3rd through 6th level Swedish leagues. From 1922-1952, there was a Swedish Championship played alongside the national league. In the year 1922 the Traningsserien was the top level league, from 1923-1927, it was the Klass I, from 1928-1935 it was the Elitserien, and from 1935-1944 it was the Svenska Serien. The Swedish Division 1 was the top level league from 1944-1975, when it was replaced by the Elitserien. Sweden has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Switzerland: IIHF member. 187 rinks. 26,166 registered players. 43 registered referees. The National League A is the top level league, the National League B is the second level league. The Swiss 1 Liga, 2. Liga, 3. Liga, and 4. Liga make up the Regio League, which comprises the 3rd-6th level Swiss leagues. Before the founding of the National League A in 1937, there were championships with and without imports allowed. The Swiss National Championship with no imports allowed, existed from 1909-1937, and the Swiss International Championship, with imports, existed from 1915-1933. The Swiss Cup was held from 1957-1966. Switzerland has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Syria: There is an ice rink in Damascus. No hockey is played.

Tajikistan: There are no indoor rinks, but lots of outdoor lakes/ponds are used for skating. No ice hockey is played.

Tanzania: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Thailand: IIHF member. 3 rinks. 114 registered players. 18 registered referees. The Thai World Hockey League, founded in 2003, is the national league in the country. Thailand has men’s and junior national teams.

Togo: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Tonga: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Trinidad and Tobago: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Tunisia: There is an ice rink in Tunis. An ice hockey federation exists. They applied for an IIHF membership.

Turkey: IIHF member. 8 rinks. 790 registered players. 85 registered referees. The Turkish Ice Hockey Super League, founded in 1992, is the top level league, and the Turkish Ice Hockey League Division 1 is the second level league. Turkey has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

Turkmenistan: There is an ice rink in Ashgabat. Hockey is played.

Tuvalu: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Uganda: There is an ice rink in Kampala. There is a team called the Kampala Alligators.

Ukraine: IIHF member. 25 rinks. 4,500 registered players. 74 registered referees. The Ukrainian Hockey League, founded in 1992, is the top-level league in the country. The Ukrainian Cup was held in 2007. Ukraine has men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

United Arab Emirates: IIHF member. 5 rinks. 532 registered players. 8 registered referees. The Emirates Ice Hockey League is the national league in the country. UAE has men’s national team and junior national teams.

Uruguay: There is an ice rink in Montevideo. No ice hockey is played.

United States: IIHF member. 1,800 rinks. 500,579 registered players. Referee data is unavailable. 23 out of the 30 National Hockey League teams are based in the United States. There are also numerous minor leagues below the NHL with the majority of the teams in the U.S. (AHL, ECHL, SPHL, FHL). The NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship has been held yearly since 1948. The United States has men’s, women’s, junior, and women’s u-18 national teams.

Uzbekistan: There is a synthetic ice sheet in Tashkent. The regular ice rink in Tashkent closed around 1990. Tashkent Binokor played in the Vtoraya Liga/Pervaya Liga (2nd and 3rd level Russian leagues) from 1970-1988. In 1986 the Uzbek national team played a game against Latvia, losing 5-2.

Vanuatu: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Vatican City: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Vietnam: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Venezuela: There are 2 rinks in Caracas, and 1 in Mount Avila. No hockey is played. Yemen: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Zambia: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played.

Zimbabwe: There are no ice rinks, and no hockey is played. Rory Hopkins, who played in the English Premier Hockey League in the early 2000s, was born in Harare

Former countries

Bohemia: Was a country that existed until 1918 around the present day Czech Republic. The Bohemian Hockey League was played in 1909, 1911, and 1912. The Bohemian national team participated in international matches between 1909 and 1914. They won the European Championship in 1911, 1912 (later annulled), and 1914. Bohemia was an IIHF member.

Bohemia and Moravia: Was the German-occupied Czechoslovakia. Had a national team that went 5-1-0 all-time. The Bohemian-Moravian Hockey League operated from 1938-1944.

Czechoslovakia: They were an IIHF member. They competed in the World Championships, and the Olympic Games. Czechoslovakia split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic in 1993. The Czechoslovak Extraliga was the top level league from 1936-1992. Czechoslovakia had men’s, women’s, and junior national teams.

East Germany: They were an IIHF member. They competed in the World Championships, and occasionally in the Olympics. East Germany unified with West Germany in 1990. The DDR-Oberliga was the country’s top league from 1949-1990. From 1970 on, the league consisted of only two teams, Dynamo Berlin, and SG Dynamo Weißswasser. The DDR-Bestenermittlung was formed as the unofficial second league in 1970 by teams kicked out of the Oberliga, and from the former second level league, the Gruppenliga. East Germany had men’s and junior national teams.

West Germany: They were an IIHF member. They competed in the World Championships, and the Olympic Games. West Germany unified with East Germany in 1990. West Germany had a very similar league system to present-day Germany. West Germany had men’s and junior national teams.

Slovak Republic: Was a state under the control of Nazi Germany. The Slovak League existed from 1938 to 1944. The national team participated in ten friendlies between 1940 and 1943.

Soviet Union: They were an IIHF member. They competed in the World Championships, and the Olympic Games. The Soviet Union broke up into 15 different countries in 1991. The Soviet League (also known as the Vysshaya Liga) was the top level league from 1946-1992. The Pervaya Liga was the second level league, the Vtoraya Liga was the third level league, and the Klass B was the fourth level league some years. The Soviet Cup was contested 21 times between 1951 until 1989. The Soviet Union had men’s and junior national teams.

Serbia and Montenegro: They were an IIHF member, and competed in the World Championships. In 2006 Serbia and Montenegro broke up into Serbia (as its own country) and Montenegro (as its own country). The national league consisted of only Serbian teams, and was identical to the Serbian Hockey League.

Yugoslavia: They were an IIHF member. They competed in World Championships and occasionally in the Olympics. Yugoslavia broke up into 5 (eventually 7) countries in 1992. The Yugoslav Ice Hockey League was the top level league from 1936-1991. The Yugoslav Cup was held from the 1965-66 season until 1991. Yugoslavia had men’s and junior national teams.

Unified Team: Was a team that represented the former Soviet Union countries at the 1992 Olympic Games. (and won the gold medal at ice hockey) and at the 1992 IIHF world junior championships (also won the gold medal).