How many countries around the world are playing ice hockey?

From the establishment of the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1908 to 2002, ice hockey has developed to more than 70 countries and regions on five continents, of which 64 countries and regions have joined the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The English word "Hockey" is derived from the French "Hocquet", which is the elbow crutch used by shepherds. It has been suggested that ice hockey is a hitting game originated from the Iroquois Indians in North America.

As early as two to three hundred years ago, there were different forms of ice ball games in the world, such as "Kolfin" in the Netherlands, "Shinney" in North America, and Russian ice hockey in Russia. , Nordic "Bandi" and Chinese ice Cuju, etc. Due to the differences in the social systems, economic foundations, national characteristics and people's lifestyles of these countries at that time, these early ice ball games also had different characteristics.

Modern ice hockey originated in Canada. According to records, as early as 1855, whenever winter came, some sports enthusiasts in the Kingston area of ??Canada often gathered on the frozen lake, holding ice hockey balls in their hands. Hockey sticks and skates tied to their feet chase each other and hit balls made of wood chips and other materials. There were no unified rules for early hockey games in Canada, and the games lacked strict organization. There is no limit to the number of people participating in the competition, with a maximum of 30 people per team, making the scene very chaotic. Referees can be selected by the players and replaced at will.

Women’s ice hockey began in the 1860s.

On March 3, 1875, under the initiative of an ice hockey enthusiast named Clay Getombe, the world's first official ice hockey game was held at the Victoria Ice Arena in Montreal.

In 1879, Professor Robertson and Professor Smith of McGill University in Montreal jointly formulated a formal competition rule, limiting the number of players to 9 people per team.

In 1885, some ice hockey enthusiasts in Montreal spontaneously organized the "Canadian Amateur Hockey Association" and changed the number of participants from 9 to 7 per team, and finally to 6. At the same time, Kingston and Ontario's first amateur hockey groups were formed.

In the 1890s, ice hockey swept across Canada, and ice hockey groups and ice hockey clubs sprung up all the way to the West Coast.

In 1892, to reward the winner of the ice hockey game, Lord Stanley purchased a silver cup for US$48.67. It was this silver cup that later became the highest prize competed for in the North American National Hockey League (NHL). In the same year, the first official women's ice hockey game was held in Barrie, north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In 1893, the first "Stanley Cup" championship was won by the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association club team.

In 1894, when the Montreal "3A" team competed with the Ottawa Provincial Team for this cup, it attracted more than 5,000 spectators. Organized to perform in the United States.

In 1895, there were more than 100 ice hockey clubs in Montreal alone. In the ranks of ice hockey, there are students, citizens and businessmen, as well as soldiers and government officials.

In 1896, the first ice hockey team in the United States was founded in New York.

In 1902, Europe's first ice hockey club was born in Les Avants, Switzerland. As a result, Lesavant won the right to host the first European Ice Hockey Championship in 1910. Soon, ice hockey clubs in France, England, Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic were also established one after another.