Women’s hockey is on the rise and the world is becoming more attuned to the game, through professional leagues, national competitions, and major tournaments, providing more opportunities for the players and increasing the viewership. In the 2025-26 regular season, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) saw attendance rise from previous seasons, with more than 1,100,000 people attending games. Digital viewership for the League also grew, as PWHL games had 154 countries viewing its games via YouTube.
Growth is not just limited to North America. Major leagues in Europe, including the SDHL in Sweden and the PostFinance Women’s League in Switzerland, are still key development hubs, and the IIHF has tweaked the way it operates in an attempt to improve the international calendar. The Women’s World Championship has been shifted to November, easing scheduling conflicts with the pro ice hockey, and a new European Women’s Championship will take place in 2027.
There is also growth of international representation in the game of professional hockey. By the 2026-27 season, more teams might have as many as 15 countries represented, as the pool of talented players is growing more international in years.
All four factors, professional league broadcasting and tournaments to a bigger and wider audience, tournament scheduling that facilitates women’s hockey, and the growing participation of fans have combined to enable the sport to reach a wider audience. Continued expansion of leagues in both North America and Europe could offer more competitive possibilities to veteran players in established leagues, and open the door to players in other hockey-strong countries.
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