Young Czech fans high-five their national team heroes as the IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship takes place in Czechia for the first time in 2025.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDREA CARDIN
The Czechs delivered a big, emotional 3-0 win over Switzerland to debut on a high note at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship. Yet regardless of the final score, 9 April was a date destined to live on in the memories of Czech hockey fans.
Played in front of 5,859 ecstatic fans at Arena Ceske Budejovice, it was the first Women’s Worlds home game ever for this proud Central European nation. For context, the tournament first took place in Ottawa in 1990. So this has been a long time coming – but it’s also well-deserved.
Played in front of 5,859 ecstatic fans at Arena Ceske Budejovice, it was the first Women’s Worlds home game ever for this proud Central European nation. For context, the tournament first took place in Ottawa in 1990. So this has been a long time coming – but it’s also well-deserved.
“It’s a big lift,” said Minnesota Frost forward Klara Hymlarova, who scored the first Czech goal. “I feel like most of our team plays outside of our country. So being at home, playing in front of the Czech fans, family and friends, it’s huge and it gives us a lot of energy.”
“It’s amazing to see,” added Ottawa Charge star Katerina Mrazova, who set up rookie power forward Kristyna Kaltounkova’s 2-0 power play marker late in the first period. “Women’s hockey has been a little bit behind here in Czechia. So it's really great to see a lot of people show up to support us. It’s been hyped before the tournament, before we even started. We really appreciate the fans.”
The Czech women’s program has made huge strides over the last 10 years. They made history by qualifying for their first Olympics ever in 2022 (Beijing), and then, under current head coach Carla MacLeod, won their first Women’s Worlds medals – both bronze – in 2022 (Herning) and 2023 (Brampton).
Tuesday night’s spectacle was a recognition of that whole journey. The opening ceremony featured speeches from IIHF Senior Vice-President Petr Briza, IIHF Council member Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer, Czech First Lady Eva Pavlova, and Governor of South Bohemia Martin Kuba – as well as a flashpot-laden appearance from the tournament superhero mascot Tori.
With “Cesi do toho!” chants, drums pounding, and Czech supporters hopping up and down in joyful unison, the party raged through all three periods and beyond. Mrazova’s parents, brothers, and aunts were among the spectators, while Hymlarova was happy to have her parents, aunt, and college coach on hand.
“It’s amazing to see,” added Ottawa Charge star Katerina Mrazova, who set up rookie power forward Kristyna Kaltounkova’s 2-0 power play marker late in the first period. “Women’s hockey has been a little bit behind here in Czechia. So it's really great to see a lot of people show up to support us. It’s been hyped before the tournament, before we even started. We really appreciate the fans.”
The Czech women’s program has made huge strides over the last 10 years. They made history by qualifying for their first Olympics ever in 2022 (Beijing), and then, under current head coach Carla MacLeod, won their first Women’s Worlds medals – both bronze – in 2022 (Herning) and 2023 (Brampton).
Tuesday night’s spectacle was a recognition of that whole journey. The opening ceremony featured speeches from IIHF Senior Vice-President Petr Briza, IIHF Council member Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer, Czech First Lady Eva Pavlova, and Governor of South Bohemia Martin Kuba – as well as a flashpot-laden appearance from the tournament superhero mascot Tori.
With “Cesi do toho!” chants, drums pounding, and Czech supporters hopping up and down in joyful unison, the party raged through all three periods and beyond. Mrazova’s parents, brothers, and aunts were among the spectators, while Hymlarova was happy to have her parents, aunt, and college coach on hand.
The Day One fun wasn’t limited to the home team’s debut. For example, schoolchildren from across South Bohemia flocked to Arena Ceske Budejovice for the 11 am opener where Sweden topped Germany 5-2. Brandishing signs, waving Swedish and German flags, and wearing custom-made costumes in support of these visiting teams, the children contributed to a lively and high-pitched atmosphere from the drop of the puck.
To get to this moment has been a complex and labour-intensive undertaking for tournament organizers. Setting up dressing rooms for all 10 participating teams in the Arena Ceske Budejovice was a challenge, even though it has been extensively renovated since originally opening back in 1946. A big laundry facility was set up within the Hajecek open-air cinema. Organizers also had to arrange transportation and accommodations for teams not only in Ceske Budejovice but also neighbouring Cesky Krumlov and Hluboka nad Vltavou.
“We've been working so hard for this for over a year now,” said Tereza Sadilova, who does double duty as a member of the tournament organizing committee and the general manager of the Czech women’s national team. “The organizing committee has done a tremendous job of trying to elevate the level of the event. It’s been really important to keep it very professional for both the players and staff, and for the fans too, as we want to bring a great fan experience to this event. We were a little bit inspired by last year’s men's Worlds in Prague [where the hosts beat Switzerland 2-0 for gold]. So it's a nice little segue for our federation, and we're hoping to break some records this month.”
The Czechs, who set a new men’s World Championship attendance record in 2024 (797,727 in Prague and Ostrava), could also challenge the Women’s Worlds attendance record. That dates back to 2007 in Canada (119,231 in Winnipeg and Selkirk).
The sold-out Czech evening game capped off a hat trick of excellent crowds. With 4,207 on hand for Sweden-Germany and 5,132 for the U.S.’s 7-1 win over Finland, total attendance for Day One was 15,198.
Even though Swiss captain Lara Stalder was disappointed to fall short in her opener, she acknowledged the magic of the atmosphere: “It was very special, a full house. It’s really amazing what they are doing here for women’s hockey at this World Championship.”
Indeed, every day hockey history is being made here in Czechia.
It’s safe to say no one could have foreseen women’s hockey taking centre stage in Ceske Budejovice back in 1265 when the first major building erected here was the imposing, Gothic-style Dominican Monastery. Or, frankly, even after the Czech men – backstopped by legendary netminder Dominik Hasek – electrified their nation with Olympic gold at the inaugural “NHL Olympics” in Nagano, Japan in 1998.
Overall, Prague has hosted the men’s Worlds 11 times to date. Czechia is just getting started on its Women's Worlds hosting adventure. Based on the early results, you can be sure this won’t be the last time the Women’s Worlds come to this country.
To get to this moment has been a complex and labour-intensive undertaking for tournament organizers. Setting up dressing rooms for all 10 participating teams in the Arena Ceske Budejovice was a challenge, even though it has been extensively renovated since originally opening back in 1946. A big laundry facility was set up within the Hajecek open-air cinema. Organizers also had to arrange transportation and accommodations for teams not only in Ceske Budejovice but also neighbouring Cesky Krumlov and Hluboka nad Vltavou.
“We've been working so hard for this for over a year now,” said Tereza Sadilova, who does double duty as a member of the tournament organizing committee and the general manager of the Czech women’s national team. “The organizing committee has done a tremendous job of trying to elevate the level of the event. It’s been really important to keep it very professional for both the players and staff, and for the fans too, as we want to bring a great fan experience to this event. We were a little bit inspired by last year’s men's Worlds in Prague [where the hosts beat Switzerland 2-0 for gold]. So it's a nice little segue for our federation, and we're hoping to break some records this month.”
The Czechs, who set a new men’s World Championship attendance record in 2024 (797,727 in Prague and Ostrava), could also challenge the Women’s Worlds attendance record. That dates back to 2007 in Canada (119,231 in Winnipeg and Selkirk).
The sold-out Czech evening game capped off a hat trick of excellent crowds. With 4,207 on hand for Sweden-Germany and 5,132 for the U.S.’s 7-1 win over Finland, total attendance for Day One was 15,198.
Even though Swiss captain Lara Stalder was disappointed to fall short in her opener, she acknowledged the magic of the atmosphere: “It was very special, a full house. It’s really amazing what they are doing here for women’s hockey at this World Championship.”
Indeed, every day hockey history is being made here in Czechia.
It’s safe to say no one could have foreseen women’s hockey taking centre stage in Ceske Budejovice back in 1265 when the first major building erected here was the imposing, Gothic-style Dominican Monastery. Or, frankly, even after the Czech men – backstopped by legendary netminder Dominik Hasek – electrified their nation with Olympic gold at the inaugural “NHL Olympics” in Nagano, Japan in 1998.
Overall, Prague has hosted the men’s Worlds 11 times to date. Czechia is just getting started on its Women's Worlds hosting adventure. Based on the early results, you can be sure this won’t be the last time the Women’s Worlds come to this country.