Ice Hockey Australia (IHA) has officially released the 2026/27 Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) schedule.
It will see the regular season kick off on November 6 and conclude on February 26, with IHA yet to announce the finals date.
The competition will once again feature six teams representing five Australian states.
Each team will play a total of 20 games across the regular season – 10 home and 10 away – continuing on from previous campaigns.
Now that the schedule has been released, we take a look at a few things that caught our eye.
Friday Night Lights
In a blockbuster move for the AWIHL we will see Friday night hockey enter the competition for the first time.
The Ducks and Ice will play all Melbourne derbies in the 7:30pm timeslot at both iceHQ and O’Brien Icehouse.
A primetime Friday night TV spot is a landmark moment for the AWIHL as the growth continues across each season.
It will also allow each derby to be a standalone fixture across the season building into the weekend’s hockey.
Additionally, scheduling the derby in a Friday night timeslot will generate supporter attendance growth and potentially sponsorship opportunities for league and teams.
The crosstown rivalry will allow the AWIHL to attract new fans and business opportunities, helping establish the fixture as a cornerstone of the annual calendar.
Inferno Championship Celebrations
Defending champions Perth Inferno will start the 2026/27 season on home ice against the Sirens on Saturday November 7.
It will be a momentous occasion for the Inferno, who won the Joan McKowen Trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
Finishing top of the AWIHL standings with 52 points, the Inferno went undefeated throughout the finals to claim gold.
Looking for back-to-back championships, the Inferno will face tough opposition with the visiting Sirens, who made finals last season.
The Inferno has yet to announce how it will celebrate the championship, but the plans may include a banner-raising ceremony for the 2025/26 team.
Sydney Sirens move north
Another change to the AWIHL season schedule is the Sydney Sirens shifting from Macquarie Ice Rink to Erina Ice Arena on the Central Coast.
The Sirens will play all 10 home games at Erina, beginning on Saturday, December 5 at 4:45pm against the Ice.
With Macquarie undergoing redevelopment and preparing for the return of AIHL action in 2026, the Sirens will not be a tenant for the upcoming season.
Australia’s largest city will have no team based in Sydney, with the club opting to relocate further north rather than return to Macquarie.
Furthermore, the Sirens are no strangers to the Central Coast area, playing six games throughout the 2025/26 season at Erina.
However, the Sirens will hold one of their three team try-outs across August and September at Macquarie.
View the full schedule release on the AWIHL Facebook.
