The squad of the women's national team for the Olympic qualification of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund e. V (DEB) is certain. Women's national coach Jeff MacLeod has nominated three goalkeepers, eight defenders and 14 attackers for the tournament in Bremerhaven from February 6 to 9, 2025. In addition to Germany, the nations from Austria, Slovakia and Hungary are taking part. The tournament winner will qualify for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina.
On Thursday, January 30, 2025, the women's national team will meet in Kassel to get in the mood and prepare for the Olympic qualification. In addition to the usual training sessions and team meetings, a preparatory international match is on the agenda: On Saturday, February 1, 2025 it is in the Nordhessen Arena in Kassel against Hungary, kick-off is at 17:00 (live on Sportdeutschland.tv). In Kassel, the DEB-Selection is not yet complete: Sandra Abstreiter, Nina Jobst-Smith, Emily Nix as well as Lilli and Luisa Welcke will join the team on Monday, February 3, 2025.
From February 3rd, the German women’s national team will complete further preparations in the Bremerhaven ice arena. During the Olympic qualifying tournament The team of women's national coach Jeff MacLeod will face Austria (February 6th at 19:30 p.m.), Slovakia (February 8th at 14:30 p.m.) and Hungary (February 9th at 18:00 p.m.). The team with the most points after six tournament games will secure the Olympic ticket for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina.
DEB-Sports director Christian Künast: "We have completed all organizational planning for the preparation and the tournament and are looking forward to our first sporting highlight of the new year. Of course we want to make the tournament a success so that we can travel to Milan with two teams. The other nations are of course going into the tournament with the same goal. We therefore expect close, exciting games throughout the tournament. We want to use our home advantage and rely on the support of the German Fans in Bremerhaven."
Women's national coach Jeff MacLeod: "We have been preparing for the Olympic qualification since the start of the season. We all want to get started now. This applies to our players as well as the staff and coaches. We are looking forward to the tournament with great anticipation, because these are the opportunities and moments that we all want to experience together and that we dream of. We have largely the same squad that was together at the last World Cup. Since then, we have continued to grow as a group in terms of our experience and individual development. We are a hungry team, we want success and these are the best conditions for our next time together in Kassel and Bremerhaven, which we are all looking forward to."
The tournament schedule for the Olympic qualification:
06.02.2025 | 16:00 | Hungary – Slovakia
06.02.2025/19/30 | XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. | Germany - Austria
Aug 08.02.2025, 14 | 30:XNUMX p.m. | Slovakia – Germany
08.02.2025 | 18:00 | Hungary – Austria
09.02.2025 | 14:30 | Austria – Slovakia
09.02.2025/18/00 | XNUMX:XNUMX p.m. | Germany - Hungary
All Olympic qualification matches will be live, and free at MagentaSport transfer.