Fahad Al-Ajmi

NICE, Oct 4 (KUNA): The Kuwait Winter Games Club announced that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has awarded Kuwait the honor of hosting the 2026 Level 4 Ice Hockey World Cup, set to begin on April 12. This marks the second time in Kuwait’s ice hockey history that the country will host the prestigious tournament.

Club President Fahad Al-Ajmi said the decision was made during the IIHF General Assembly (Congress) currently underway in Nice, France, chaired by IIHF President Luc Tardif. The meeting was attended by numerous federation members, including Kuwait’s representative, Club Development Committee Director Mishaal Al-Ajmi, and committee member Rashid Al-Felkawei.

Al-Ajmi explained that Kuwait’s successful bid was based on a strong technical, organizational, and administrative proposal, as well as the success of the previous 2024 edition, which was also held at the club’s ice rink and where the Kuwaiti team delivered impressive performances. He expressed his sincere thanks to IIHF members for approving Kuwait’s hosting rights.

He added that organizing this major international sporting event underscores Kuwait’s growing prominence in winter sports, reflecting the tournament’s significance and the high level of participating teams, and praised the efforts of the Kuwaiti delegation at the IIHF Congress, which were instrumental in securing the hosting rights.