Klagenfurt players celebrate historical promotion to the top division!

Klagenfurt players celebrate historical promotion to the top division!

Austria's women's national team wrote history at the IIHF ICE Hockey Women’s World Championship Division I in Shenzhen, China. Between the 13th and 19th April 2025, the team won the tournament victory and secured not only first place with a 3-2 victory to Overtime via the Netherlands, but also the historical promotion to the top division, the highest league in women's ice hockey. This is the first time that the Austrian team plays in the top division that will be held in 2026.

The decisive goals for Austria scored Emma Lintner in the 34th minute and Annika Fazokas, who scored both the equalization and the winning goal in the extension. This remarkable achievement followed the previous victories against Denmark (3: 0), China (3: 0) and Slovakia (3: 2). The team not only acquired the title, but also the opportunity to compete with the best teams in the world, such as Canada and the USA.

honor of the Klagenfurt players

In Klagenfurt, the players Schall and Adamitsch were particularly appreciated for their remarkable contribution to this historical success. Mayor Christian Scheider and sports officer Constance Mochar presented documents and praised their achievements as exemplary. Scheider emphasized that promotion to the top division was a great success for the Austrian ice hockey and wished the team every success for the upcoming World Cup 2026.

MOCHAR described the players as sensational role models and emphasized how important their successes are for the promotion of women's sports in the country. The venue of the 2026 World Cup has not yet been determined. The decision is announced during the IIHF Congress at the 2025 men's World Cup.

context and meaning of the ascent

Total overall in the 2025 Women's ice hockey championship, which took place in Budweis, Czech Republic from April 9th ​​to 2025, 45 national teams. Austria's success in Division I Group A has immense importance for women's ice hockey in the country. With this ascent, Austria has the opportunity to measure itself internationally at the highest level and to further increase the visibility of women's sports. In the top division you will meet strong opponents like Germany, Finland and Japan.

The success of the Austrian team shows the progress in women's ice hockey and motivates future generations of players. After an extremely exciting tournament, this is a significant step in the development of women's sports in Austria, which should ensure sustainable positive impulses in the sports landscape.