Ukraine showcase Para ice hockey skills against Great Britain in London

Team GB hosts four-game exhibition tournament as female players prepare for Women’s World Championships 28 Aug 2026

A group of British and Ukrainian Para ice hockey players posing for pictures on ice

Players from Team Great Britain and Team Ukraine after one of the games held in London

ⒸJessica Cupitt

By World Para Ice Hockey

London hosted four days of Para ice hockey action as Great Britain welcomed Ukraine for the GB Invitational Exhibition Tournament 2026, held from 21 to 24 August.

The games took place at the Lee Valley Ice Centre and formed part of the preparations for the female British players involved in both the mixed and women’s programmes, ahead of their participation in the second edition of the Women’s World Championships in Australia this November.

Ukraine is yet to make its debut at a World Para Ice Hockey (WPIH) tournament, but the team showed remarkable progress on the ice – just over 16 months after Ukrainian athletes first joined the WPIH Skills Development Camp in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia.

The Ukrainian side won all four games, defeating Team GB 3-1 in both the opening games on 21 and 22 August, followed by 3-0 and 2-0 victories on 23 and 24 August. National team captain Oleksandr Zhavnenko finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals across the four fixtures.

The friendly tournament was jointly organised by the Ukraine Para Ice Hockey Federation (UPIHF) and the British Para Ice Hockey Association (BPIHA). The Ukrainian national squad featured players from the Sokil and Nezlamni teams, based in Lviv.

🏒 GAME 1 | UNDERWAY 🇬🇧🇺🇦

We’re at Lee Valley Ice Centre for Game 1 of the GB Para Ice Hockey International Series!

🇬🇧 Great Britain vs Ukraine 🇺🇦

And we’re underway! 🔥#ParaIceHockey pic.twitter.com/N4p47H3JX5
— Team GB Ice Hockey (@TeamGBicehockey) August 22, 2026

The games were officiated by British referee Philippa Mackinnon who will also be part of the all-women officiating crew at the Newcastle 2026 Women’s World Championships.

Team GB finished fourth place in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Worlds last year in Dolny Kubin. The United States won the tournament with Canada finishing second and Norway third.

The Newcastle 2026 Women’s World Championships will run from 24 to 29 November at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium. Teams will be split into two groups of three, with the top two in each group advancing to the semifinals.