Major Organisations in Ice Hockey

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is the world governing body of ice hockey. Many leagues follow the IIHF rulebook. The organisation originated in 1908, and states its purpose to be the "development and control of international ice and in-line hockey" and the fostering of good relations between the governing bodies of member nations. The IIHF is charged with determining the rankings of national teams in relation to each other. This information can be found on the IIHF website. The IIHF also oversees the IIHF World Championships (see section entitled 'Major Competitions' for more details).

Hockey Canada is the national governing body of Canada. Its mission statement defines the purpose of the organisation to be "to lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences". Hockey Canada is affiliated to the IIHF and is responsible for selecting national teams to represent Canada in international competitions.

USA Hockey is the national governing body for ice hockey in the United States. USA Hockey is affiliated with the IIHF and is responsible for selecting teams to represent the United States at international events, including the IIHF Championship and the Winter Olympics. USA Hockey also has links with the NHL, the major ice hockey league for Canada and the USA. The organisation aims to support players, game officials and coaches through educational manuals and training programmes.

Ice Hockey UK is the national governing body for ice hockey in the United Kingdom. The website offers news, match reports and information about the national teams. The website also offers links to the websites of British ice hockey teams.