A Milestone for Mexican Para Ice Hockey
Mexico will stage the World Para Ice Hockey Championships C‑Pool for the first time in Latin America from December 8 to 13, 2026, at the Winter Sports Centre in Metepec, a city of more than 240,000 residents located just 50 kilometres east of the capital.
The five‑team competition will bring together Mexico, Russia, France, Austria and a combined Team World squad made up of athletes from nations without an established para‑ice hockey programme, marking a historic expansion of the sport on the continent.
The tournament follows a round‑robin stage and culminates in bronze‑ and gold‑medal matches, all held at the newly equipped Winter Sports Centre that previously hosted the Miguel Porter Memorial Cup, a tribute to the pioneer of stand‑up hockey in Latin America.
The event builds on a development camp held in May 2026, where Mexican and Brazilian athletes trained alongside international coaches, a step that has accelerated the rapid growth of Mexico’s para‑ice hockey programme.
World Para Ice Hockey Senior Manager Michelle Laflamme hailed the championship as “a significant step in Para ice hockey’s development pathway,” emphasizing its role in broadening participation and strengthening the global pipeline for future athletes.
Miguel Ángel García Meza, President of the Mexican Paralympic Committee, expressed pride in the responsibility of organizing the championship, noting that the venue’s legacy and the country’s expanding infrastructure make Metepec the ideal host for this milestone gathering.
Past World Para Ice Hockey Championships have been held in Bangkok (2024, 2022) and Vierumäki (2018), with Finland, Great Britain and China claiming previous titles, underscoring the competitive depth of the sport worldwide.