2026 IIHF Women's World Championship Division III

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Host countries Croatia
 Estonia
Venues2 (in 2 host cities)
Dates23 February – 1 March
28 February – 6 March
Teams12
2026 IIHF Women's
World Championship
Division III
Tournament details
Host countries Croatia
 Estonia
Venues2 (in 2 host cities)
Dates23 February – 1 March
28 February – 6 March
Teams12
← 2025
2027 →

The 2026 IIHF Women's World Championship Division III comprised two international ice hockey tournaments of the 2026 Women's Ice Hockey World Championships organised by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).[1]

Group A was held in Zagreb, Croatia from 23 February to 1 March 2026 and Group B in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia, from 28 February to 6 March 2026.

Romania won Group A and was promoted while Bulgaria was relegated.[2] Estonia captured promotion by winning the Group B tournament.[3]

Participants

2026 IIHF Women's
World Championship
Division III A
Tournament details
Host country Croatia
CityZagreb
Venue1 (in 1 host city)
Dates23 February – 1 March
Teams6
Tournament statistics
Games played15
Goals scored86 (5.73 per game)
Attendance1,309 (87 per game)
Scoring leaderThailand Ratana Kajonsaksumet (12 points)
Official website
Website
Team Qualification
 Turkey Placed 6th in Division II B and was relegated.
 Thailand Placed 2nd in 2025 Division III A.
 Serbia Placed 3rd in 2025 Division III A.
 Romania Placed 4th in 2025 Division III A.
 Croatia Host, placed 5th in 2025 Division III A.
 Bulgaria Placed 1st in 2025 Division III B and was promoted.

Match officials

Four referees and seven linesperson were selected for the tournament.[4]

RefereesLinesperson
  • Hungary Bernadett Holzer
  • Japan Mai Mizuhori
  • Lithuania Ramunė Maleckienė
  • Mexico María Chávez
  • Austria Manuela Lehnhart
  • Finland Mari Hauhia
  • France Erin Delavenna
  • United Kingdom Ellen Key
  • Italy Mara De Rech
  • Kazakhstan Elvira Dairova
  • United Arab Emirates Fatima Al-Ali

Standings

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1  Romania 5 3 1 0 1 18 9 +9 11 Promoted to the 2027 Division II A
2  Thailand 5 3 0 1 1 15 13 +2 10
3  Turkey 5 3 0 0 2 14 15 −1 9
4  Croatia (H) 5 2 1 0 2 16 11 +5 8
5  Serbia 5 0 1 2 2 13 18 −5 4
6  Bulgaria 5 0 1 1 3 10 20 −10 3 Relegated to the 2027 Division III B
Source: IIHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Results

All times are local (UTC+2).[5]

23 February 2026
12:30		Serbia 2–4
(1–0, 1–1, 0–3)		 TurkeyAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 27
Game reference
Ana IlićGoaliesAzra SertReferee:
Hungary Bernadett Holzer
Linesmen:
France Erin Delavenna
United Kingdom Ellen Key
Vrhoci (Velček, J. Radović) – 18:481–0
Vastag – 28:402–0
2–136:08 – Kuchkin (Çakmak) (PP)
2–245:11 – Lökbaş (Eraşçı)
2–345:54 – Yavuz
2–455:22 – Tandoğan (Arslan, Çağdaş)
8 minPenalties2 min
21Shots32
23 February 2026
16:00		Bulgaria 1–5
(0–1, 1–0, 0–4)		 RomaniaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 31
Game reference
Angelina DimovaGoaliesNicoleta ȘabalinReferee:
Lithuania Ramunė Maleckienė
Linesmen:
Finland Mari Hauhia
Austria Manuela Lehnhart
0–104:05 – Voicu
Asparuhova (Georgieva, Zlateva) – 23:031–1
1–241:01 – Feher (Voicu, Platica)
1–342:25 – Szekeres
1–452:18 – Szekeres (Bende) (PP)
1–559:49 – Vitos (EN)
6 minPenalties0 min
13Shots49
23 February 2026
19:30		Thailand 2–1
(0–0, 0–1, 2–0)		 CroatiaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 81
Game reference
Thamida KunthadapakornGoaliesKlara KolarReferee:
Mexico María Chávez
Linesmen:
United Arab Emirates Fatima Al-Ali
Kazakhstan Elvira Dairova
0–129:05 – Bauman (Vlašić, Soldić)
Vorawat (Satityathiwat, Thamma) – 49:341–1
Pothong (Kajonsaksumet, Satityathiwat (PP) – 53:142–1
4 minPenalties14 min
30Shots22
24 February 2026
12:30		Turkey 4–3
(1–1, 2–0, 1–2)		 RomaniaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 17
Game reference
Azra SertGoaliesNadina Niciu
Nicoleta Șabalin		Referee:
Lithuania Ramunė Maleckienė
Linesmen:
Italy Mara De Rech
United Kingdom Ellen Key
0–102:37 – Voicu (PP)
Şenyuva – 05:491–1
Tandoğan (Daş) (PP) – 21:482–1
Çakmak (Kuchkin, Yavuz) (PP) – 37:113–1
3–244:50 – Bende (Bálint)
3–351:50 – Platica (Bende)
Demir (Kuchkin) – 55:434–3
6 minPenalties8 min
32Shots39
24 February 2026
16:00		Thailand 3–4 GWS
(0–1, 2–1, 1–1)
(OT: 0–0)
(SO: 0–1)		 SerbiaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 38
Game reference
Thamida KunthadapakornGoaliesAna IlićReferee:
Hungary Bernadett Holzer
Linesmen:
United Arab Emirates Fatima Al-Ali
Austria Manuela Lehnhart
0–106:18 – Vukelić (Vidaković)
Kajonsaksumet – 21:261–1
Wongsanit (Poka) – 21:422–1
2–237:11 – Vastag (Vasiljević)
Panyamaneerat (Kajonsaksumet, Thamma) (PP) – 46:143–2
3–347:47 – J. Vukelić (Benčić)
Kajonsaksumet MISS
Panyamaneerat MISS
Thamma GOAL
Satityathiwat MISS
Wongsanit MISS
Kajonsaksumet MISS
Panyamaneerat MISS
Thamma GOAL
Pothong MISS
Satityathiwat MISS
Kajonsaksumet GOAL
Panyamaneerat MISS		ShootoutMISS Vrhoci
MISS J. Vukelić
GOAL Vastag
MISS Vasiljević
MISS Velček
MISS Vastag
MISS Vrhoci
GOAL Vukelić
MISS Vukelić
MISS Popov
GOAL Velček
GOAL Vastag
4 minPenalties8 min
41Shots29
24 February 2026
19:30		Croatia 2–1 GWS
(1–1, 0–0, 0–0)
(OT: 0–0)
(SO: 1–0)		 BulgariaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 105
Game reference
Klara KolarGoaliesMonika NedyalkovaReferee:
Japan Mai Mizuhori
Linesmen:
France Erin Delavenna
Finland Mari Hauhia
0–104:01 – Stoyanova (Runevska, Zlateva)
Stiperski (Fabić, Vugić) – 16:091–1
Matić GOAL
Bauman GOAL
Soldić MISS
Stolar GOAL		ShootoutMISS Ivanova
GOAL Runevska
MISS Asparuhova
MISS Stoyanova
4 minPenalties2 min
50Shots15
26 February 2026
12:30		Thailand 7–4
(2–1, 2–3, 3–0)		 BulgariaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 41
Game reference
Thamida Kunthadapakorn
Natthaporn Nakdee		GoaliesAngelina Dimova
Monika Nedyalkova		Referee:
Japan Mai Mizuhori
Linesmen:
United Kingdom Ellen Key
Austria Manuela Lehnhart
0–105:49 – Asparuhova (Dikova, Stoyanova)
Kajonsaksumet (Charusakulariyakul, Wongsanit) – 11:411–1
Kajonsaksumet (Wongsanit, Charusakulariyakul) – 13:132–1
Panyamaneerat (Satityathiwat, Kajonsaksumet) – 22:153–1
Kajonsaksumet (Panyamaneerat, Poka) – 28:174–1
4–232:20 – Ivanova (Runevska) (SH)
4–334:48 – Ivanova (Runevska)
4–437:54 – Stoyanova (Asparuhova, Ivanova)
Wongsanit (Kajonsaksumet, Charusakulariyakul) – 42:055–4
Kajonsaksumet (Sakchaicharoenkul, Wongsanit) – 45:076–4
Wongsanit (Satityathiwat, Charusakulariyakul) (PP) – 52:027–4
4 minPenalties6 min
49Shots23
26 February 2026
16:00		Serbia 2–3 GWS
(1–1, 0–1, 1–0)
(OT: 0–0)
(SO: 0–1)		 RomaniaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 46
Game reference
Ana IlićGoaliesNicoleta ȘabalinReferee:
Mexico María Chávez
Linesmen:
Kazakhstan Elvira Dairova
Finland Mari Hauhia
0–108:32 – Voicu (Feher, Platica)
Vasiljević – 17:241–1
1–229:56 – Vitos (Vasile, Pethõ)
Sekulić (Milišić, Popov) – 53:192–2
Vastag MISS
Vukelić MISS
Velček MISS
Vrhoci GOAL
Vasiljević MISS		ShootoutMISS Șabalin
GOAL Vitos
GOAL Platica
MISS Feher
8 minPenalties8 min
35Shots28
26 February 2026
19:30		Turkey 0–6
(0–0, 0–4, 0–2)		 CroatiaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 173
Game reference
Azra Sert
Beray Okut		GoaliesKlara KolarReferee:
Lithuania Ramunė Maleckienė
Linesmen:
United Arab Emirates Fatima Al-Ali
Italy Mara De Rech
0–132:37 – Soldić (Matić, Bauman)
0–235:10 – Vugić (Stolar, Soldić) (PP)
0–336:45 – Soldić (SH)
0–438:59 – Stolar
0–544:54 – Soldić (Bauman, Stolar) (PP)
0–654:47 – Matić (Soldić, Gašljević) (PP)
12 minPenalties16 min
17Shots34
27 February 2026
12:30		Romania 2–0
(0–0, 0–0, 2–0)		 ThailandAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 22
Game reference
Nadina NiciuGoaliesThamida KunthadapakornReferee:
Mexico María Chávez
Linesmen:
Italy Mara De Rech
United Kingdom Ellen Key
Pethõ (Simina) – 42:241–0
Bende (Csiszér, Șabalin) – 55:222–0
4 minPenalties2 min
29Shots26
27 February 2026
16:00		Bulgaria 1–4
(1–0, 0–3, 0–1)		 TurkeyAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 44
Game reference
Monika NedyalkovaGoaliesAzra SertReferee:
Hungary Bernadett Holzer
Linesmen:
Kazakhstan Elvira Dairova
France Erin Delavenna
Runevska (Georgieva) (PP) – 09:371–0
1–130:55 – Yavuz (Tandoğan, Daş) (PP)
1–232:32 – Kuchkin (Lökbaş) (PP2)
1–338:10 – Lökbaş (Kuchkin)
1–443:42 – Arslan (Tandoğan, Şenyuva)
14 minPenalties8 min
24Shots40
27 February 2026
19:30		Croatia 5–3
(1–2, 3–1, 1–0)		 SerbiaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 311
Game reference
Klara KolarGoaliesAna IlićReferee:
Japan Mai Mizuhori
Linesmen:
Finland Mari Hauhia
Austria Manuela Lehnhart
Stolar (Marinković) (PP) – 16:471–0
1–118:09 – Vrhoci (Vukelić, T. Radović)
1–219:12 – Velček (Vukelić, J. Radović)
Bauman (Gašljević, Soldić) (PP) – 23:142–2
2–323:48 – Popov (Vrhoci, Vasiljević)
Bauman (Gašljević, Soldić) – 24:113–3
Vukelić (Čavka, M. Stiperski) – 34:454–3
Marinković (P. Stiperski) (EN) – 58:195–3
0 minPenalties10 min
38Shots22
1 March 2026
12:30		Turkey 2–3
(1–1, 1–2, 0–0)		 ThailandAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 42
Game reference
Azra SertGoaliesNatthaporn NakdeeReferee:
Mexico María Chávez
Linesmen:
Kazakhstan Elvira Dairova
Finland Mari Hauhia
0–106:49 – Sakchaicharoenkul (Kajonsaksumet)
Kuchkin (Lökbaş) – 07:201–1
1–221:41 – Kajonsaksumet (Panyamaneerat, Charusakulariyakul)
Lökbaş (Şenyuva|Vugić) – 29:542–2
2–338:21 – Pothong (Thamma, Kajonsaksumet)
0 minPenalties4 min
20Shots35
1 March 2026
16:00		Serbia 2–3 OT
(0–1, 1–0, 1–1)
(OT: 0–1)		 BulgariaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 74
Game reference
Ana IlićGoaliesAngelina DimovaReferee:
Hungary Bernadett Holzer
Linesmen:
France Erin Delavenna
Austria Manuela Lehnhart
0–103:55 – Ivanova (Runevska)
Vasiljević (Vukelić) – 38:541–1
Sekulić (Vukelić, Vasiljević) – 54:112–1
2–256:08 – Ivanova (Runevska)
2–364:20 – Runevska
10 minPenalties6 min
36Shots50
1 March 2026
19:30		Romania 5–2
(3–0, 1–0, 1–2)		 CroatiaAdmiral Ice Dome, Zagreb
Attendance: 257
Game reference
Nadina NiciuGoaliesKlara KolarReferee:
Japan Mai Mizuhori
Linesmen:
United Arab Emirates Fatima Al-Ali
Italy Mara De Rech
Feher (Bende) – 02:461–0
Vitos (Simina) – 11:422–0
Voicu (Bálint) – 15:053–0
Csiszér (Bende) – 37:494–0
4–147:31 – Stolar (PP)
4–248:20 – Soldić (Vlašić, Matić)
Simina (Vitos, Csiszér) (PP) – 58:565–2
10 minPenalties10 min
28Shots39

Statistics

Scoring leaders

List shows the top skaters sorted by points, then goals.

Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM POS
Thailand Ratana Kajonsaksumet56612+80F
Croatia Petra Soldić5459+12F
Bulgaria Maria Runevska5257−12F
Turkey Alara Kuchkin533602D
Thailand Ornrawee Wongsanit5336+22F
Romania Julia Bende5246+32F
Serbia Jana Vukelić5246+36F
Bulgaria Lena Ivanova5415−10F
Romania Ana Voicu5415+48F
Croatia Ana Bauman532502F

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalties in Minutes; POS = Position
Source: IIHF.com

Goaltending leaders

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, are included in this list.

Player TOI GA GAA SA Sv% SO
Romania Nadina Niciu160:0051.889094.441
Bulgaria Monika Nedyalkova156:4383.0611693.100
Romania Nicoleta Șabalin145:0041.665092.000
Serbia Ana Ilić313:47163.0619791.880
Bulgaria Angelina Dimova149:51104.0010590.480

TOI = time on ice (minutes:seconds); SA = shots against; GA = goals against; GAA = goals against average; Sv% = save percentage; SO = shutouts
Source: IIHF.com

Awards

PositionPlayer[6]
GoaltenderRomania Nadina Niciu
DefencemanTurkey Alara Kuchkin
ForwardCroatia Petra Soldić

Group B tournament

References

External links

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