Growing Blind Ice Hockey in Germany & Around the World

The Para sport of Blind Ice Hockey is organized by the International Blind Ice Hockey Federation (IBIHF) and is played by more than a thousand blind and visually impaired athletes in five countries around the world including Canada (1972), USA (2014), England (2019), Finland (2019), and Russia (2020). The sport is played both recreationally and competitively including divisions for children, youth, girls & women, adult beginner, competitive, and master’s for athletes aged 40 and over, as well as the elite players that compete in the International Blind Ice Hockey Series. The Para sport is extremely similar to traditional ice hockey with only a few adaptations to make the sport accessible to players who are blind or visually impaired. The most significant adaptations are the Blind Ice Hockey puck which is larger than a traditional puck and makes noise, as well as the point system to ensure that there are opportunities for both blind and visually impaired players to compete at all levels. The IBIHF is working to support a group of German Blind Ice Hockey enthusiasts to start the first-ever German Blind Ice Hockey program next season, as well as organizers in Czechia, Sweden, and beyond to grow participation in the sport worldwide. The IBIHF is working to host the first Blind Ice Hockey World Championships with the goal of having at least 8 countries represented in order to eventually apply for inclusion into the Winter Paralympic Games. The 2026 International Blind Ice Hockey Series included Team Canada, Team USA, as well as Team World which was made up mostly of players from across Europe. The IBIHF is looking for players from Germany and other nations with previous hockey experience to try out for the next Team World that will compete in Toronto, Canada at next year’s International Blind Ice Hockey Series in March 2027. Please attend our presentation and visit our booth to learn more about how you can join the worldwide Blind Ice Hockey community!