List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and inline hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and maintains the internationalice hockey rulebook, processes international player transfers, dictates officiating guidelines and is responsible for the management of international ice hockey tournaments. The IIHF was created on 15 May 1908, under the name Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace. Belgium, France, Great Britain, Switzerland, and Bohemia were the founding members. The IIHF was composed entirely of European teams until 1920, when Canada and the United States joined. Under the IIHF, there are three levels for member organizations. The highest level, and the only one in which members can vote at the IIHF Congresses, is the IIHF Full Members. These nations have their own independent ice hockey association, and regularly participate in the various IIHF-sanctioned World Championships. The IIHF Associate Members is the second level. These nations either do not have their own independent ice hockey association or have one, but have limited participation in the World Championships. The third level, IIHF Affiliate Members, is for nations that only participate in the Inline Hockey World Championships. As of 2019, there are 81 members: 56 full members, 24 associate members and one affiliate member. Algeria, Colombia, Iran, Lebanon and Uzbekistan are the newest members, all of whom joined on 26 September 2019. In 2019, 52 participated in the Men's World Championships and 39 participated in the Women's World Championships.
Members
IIHF full members
A. Austria was expelled from the IIHF in 1920, then re-admitted on January 24, 1924. It was again expelled in 1939 and re-admitted on 27 April 1946.
B. The IIHF recognizes Bohemia, which joined in 1908, and Czechoslovakia as the predecessors to the Czech Republic, which officially became a member in 1993.
C. Germany was expelled in 1920, then re-admitted on January 11, 1926. It was again expelled on 27 April 1946. West Germany and East Germany were admitted into the IIHF in 1951 and 1954, respectively. Following their reunification, Germany was re-admitted into the IIHF on 3 October 1990.
D. In 1940, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were annexed by the Soviet Union. Their membership expired on 27 April 1946. The three nations were re-admitted into the IIHF on 6 May 1992.
E. Japan was expelled from the IIHF on 27 April 1946, then re-admitted on 10 March 1951.
F. The IIHF recognizes the Soviet Union, which joined in 1952, as the predecessor to Russia, which officially became a member in 1992.
G. The IIHF recognizes Yugoslavia, which joined in 1939, as the predecessor to Serbia, which officially became a member on 28 September 2006.
