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CALGARY, AB – Only days following Canada’s second straight Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey, Hockey Canada announced on Monday, that the City of Kitchener and the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) will host the next major international women’s hockey event in the fall of 2006. The 2006 Four Nations Cup will be held at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex from November 7-11, 2006.

"Today's announcement that the City of Kitchener will play host to the 2006 Four Nations Cup is very exciting news for local hockey enthusiasts, and indeed, for our entire community," said Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr. "We are honoured by the opportunity to welcome these talented women to our city and look forward to making them, their coaches, and their fans, feel like a part of our community."

“We look forward to hosting the first international women's hockey competition following Team Canada' gold medal win in Turin,” said OWHA Executive Director Fran Rider. “The Ontario Women's Hockey Association welcomes the opportunity of renewing our successful hosting partnership with Hockey Canada and the City of Kitchener. “  

The Four Nations Cup has been a staple of international women’s hockey since 1996. The event will feature the four top-ranked teams in the World : Canada (20 Olympic Champions, eight-time World Champions), USA (2005 World Champions, 2006 Olympic Bronze medalists, 2002 Olympic silver medalists, 1998 Olympic Champions), Sweden (2006 Olympic silver medalists) and Finland (fourth place at 20 Olympic Games, and at 2005 World Championship).

The 2006 Four Nations Cup will consist of a single round robin between the four teams, followed by a Gold Medal game, featuring the top two teams and a Bronze Medal game, featuring the teams that finish the round robin in 3rd and 4th position.

Ticket details and the game schedule for the 2006 Four Nations Cup will be announced shortly.

Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster TSN/RDS will be broadcasting the 2006 Four Nations Cup Gold Medal game.

From 19, this event was called the Three Nations Cup, with Canada, USA and Finland taking part. In 2000, and permanently since the 2002 season, it has been the Four Nations Cup, and Sweden has been a regular participant. In 2001, USA was unable to participate. Canada has won the Nations Cup a total of eight times (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005) while the USA has won it twice (1997, 2003).

The 2006 Four Nations Cup will mark the first of two major international women’s hockey events being held in Canada during the 2006-07 season. The 2007 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship will be held in Winnipeg, MB in April, 2007.