There has been an explosion in ice hockey across Australia, with sold out games and increased media attention. It’s a bang that the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) hopes to harness for continued growth of the competition.
Throughout the 2026 Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL) season, a narrative of TV shows, romance novels and more women attending hockey has been widely discussed.
However, off the back of the Four Nations, Stanley Cup Final and Winter Olympics, the ice hockey buzz has captured the world.
The NHL is in its healthiest position in recent history, booming crowds, billion dollar expansion fees and TV growth continue to put North America’s league on the map.
For women’s hockey the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has opened a pathway for female hockey players and fans to carve out their own space in professional hockey.
Women’s Hockey Is Having a Moment
No longer do girls have to look for stars in the NHL, they now have sporting idols in the PWHL that can be stitched onto the back of a team’s jersey.
So, where does this sit for the AWIHL and the growth of the league?
The answer is simple: there is an enormous opportunity right now.
There is a perfect storm brewing and the AWIHL is sitting in the middle of it.
We haven’t seen this many eyes on ice hockey before. The attention on women’s sport hasn’t been higher. And, when it comes to casual fans and the sport, the barriers are starting to disappear.
The question now is whether the AWIHL can turn the attention hockey is receiving into something more long-lasting.
The AWIHL Has an Opportunity to Grow
For decades, ice hockey in Australia has sat in a strange position. People involved in the sport are dedicated, invested, loyal and passionate. However, outside of the community bubble, hockey hasn’t been able to break through.
That appears to be changing.
Seeing the success of the PWHL has demonstrated that women’s hockey does not have to exist in the shadow of the men’s game. It has its own stars, rivalries, storylines and fanbases – a lesson that the AWIHL should be paying attention to.
For the AWIHL it’s not about becoming Australia’s version of the NHL or PWHL. It’s about being the best version of itself.
Which starts with the players on the ice.
Turning AWIHL Players Into Stars
With the increased exposure of social media, the AWIHL has an opportunity to turn its players into recognisable sporting stars. Players that fans know, follow and support – not just a number on a scoresheet.
We should be seeing young fans enter a rink, recognise a player, buy their jersey and become invested in the team because of them.
This is where the connection to the PWHL and growth of women’s hockey becomes important.
An audience is already finding and being introduced to the sport through other means.
It could be watching a TV series, reading a book or tuning into the Olympics. Where they become fascinated by the skill, speed and physicality of women’s hockey.
This is the potential fanbase the AWIHL could have.
The biggest challenge is getting this audience from watching hockey somewhere else to watching it at their local rink.
Which is more than just team names on a season schedule.
It’s about storytelling.
The AWIHL needs fans to understand who these players are, their journey in hockey and giving them a reason to care.
Rivalries need to be created that have people wanting more. Moments that capture the audience online. And merchandise that will have fans proud to support their team.
More importantly, it’s about making attending an AWIHL game an event.
Building a Pathway for the Next Generation
The biggest impact the AWIHL can have is connecting grassroots to the elite level.
There should be a clear pathway for young girls picking up a stick: an opportunity to reach the AWIHL and dream of playing in the PWHL.
AWIHL players should be the athletes they aspire to be, that they are the next step.
Young hockey players watching Australian international players, future national-team players, competing at their local rink.
There is a powerful connection here.
The PWHL has given women’s hockey a global boost. There is now an opportunity for the AWIHL to do that locally.
Giving New Fans a Reason to Stay
A bigger opportunity is sitting right there: bringing new fans into ice hockey.
We have seen growth across women’s sport in Australia; audiences are willing to support competitions that they are able to connect with.
The AWIHL sits in a strong position to be part of this movement.
People who might not have looked twice at ice hockey before, the AWIHL can be their entry point into the sport.
And that opportunity could be the biggest of all.
It isn’t about convincing the Australian sporting public to become hockey fans straight away.
It’s about getting those casual fans who are already curious into the sport.
Those who watch the Olympics.
Those who found the sport through popular culture.
Parents now looking for a sport because their daughters know there is a place for them.
Fans of the AIHL who want to keep watching hockey.
Young fans who want to find sporting heroes of their own.
The audience is there waiting.
The current ice hockey boom won’t last forever. The spotlight on ice hockey globally will eventually move on, more sports will take the headlines, and the initial burst of women’s hockey growth will settle.
Which makes the next three to five years important.
It doesn’t need to compete with the AIHL or become a Southern Hemisphere version of the PWHL.
The AWIHL needs to make sure when the curious become invested in ice hockey, that they have somewhere they can direct that passion.
That place should be the AWIHL.
There is a big opportunity waiting.
An audience is beginning to arrive.
It is now time for the league to give them a reason to stay.
