2009 IIHF Women's World Championship

The 2009 IIHF World Women's Championships was held in Hämeenlinna, Finland, between April 4 and April 12, 2009. This was the 12th women's championship run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The defending champions United States defeated Canada 4–1 in the final match to win the gold medal and retain their top standing another year.

This was the last world championships with nine teams in the Top Division. Two teams—Japan and China—were relegated to Division I, replaced by only one—Slovakia—promoted from there. Division I also relegated two, Czech Republic and France, while receiving only one team through promotion, Latvia, along with the two from the top division. Division II only relegated one team, the Netherlands, but did not receive any promoted teams from the lower divisions. Those lower divisions were canceled for the 2009 cycle, with the lowest seeded team in each to be dropped down one division. The final result was that the Top Division will be reduced in size by one team for 2011, while the lowest division (Division V) will increase by one team.

Group A
All times are local (UTC+3).

Group B
All times are local (UTC+3).

Group C
All times are local (UTC+3).

Group D (1st–3rd place)
All times are local (UTC+3).

and advance to the final. plays in the bronze medal game.

Group E (4th–6th place)
advances to the bronze medal game.

All times are local (UTC+3).

Group F (7th–9th place)
and are relegated to Division I for the 2011 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships.

All times are local (UTC+3).

Match for third place
All times are local (UTC+3).

Final
All times are local (UTC+3).

Division I
The following teams took part in the Division I tournament which was held in Graz, Austria, from April 4 to April 10, 2009. The winner of the group gets promoted to the Top Division for the 2011 championships, while the two bottom teams in the group are relegated to Division II.

is promoted to the Top Division for the 2011 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships, winning the head-to-head tie-breaker over. and are relegated to Division II.

Division II
The following teams took part in the Division II tournament which was held in Torre Pellice, Italy, from April 12 to April 18, 2009. The winner of the group was promoted to Division I for the 2011 championships, while the last-placed team in the group was relegated to Division III.

was promoted to the Division I for the 2011 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships. was relegated to Division III. was to have been relegated but since Division III was not played, no one was promoted to take their place.

Division III, Division IV and Division V
The Division III, Division IV and Division V did not play this year. The respective tournaments were cancelled. The reasons seem to be multiple. No country wanted to assume the financial costs of the tournaments. The tournaments will be scheduled for 2011. It has the effect the following changes:


 * Iceland is not promoted to the Division III, but stay in the Division IV.
 * Turkey is now relegated from Division IV to the new division V.
 * Division V will then consist of Turkey, and the four new nations who were to play in 2009: Poland, Bulgaria, Spain and Ireland.