Handon Cup Women's Ice Hockey 'The Dream League' Opens... 17 Teams Compete

The Korea Pork Self-Funding Management Committee (Chairman Lee Ki-hong, hereinafter the Korea Pork Self-Funding Committee), together with the Korea Ice Hockey Association, kicked off the seven-day tournament by holding the opening ceremony of the ‘2026 Korea Pork Cup Women’s Ice Hockey League The Dream League’ at Zenith Ice Rink on the 19th.

Now in its fifth year, ‘The Dream League’ is a competition designed to allow female ice hockey players to consistently gain practical experience and showcase their skills. The Korea Pork Self-Help Fund has continued its title sponsorship since the first tournament in 2022, providing a stage for challenge to female ice hockey players who face relatively limited opportunities to play, and contributing to the expansion of the base of domestic ice sports.

Women's ice hockey is demonstrating its potential for growth by achieving meaningful results on the international stage. The Korean women's 3x3 national ice hockey team won a silver medal at the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics, achieving the remarkable feat of winning the first Olympic medal in the history of Korean ice hockey. This is a valuable achievement born from the players' passion and dedication, and it served as an opportunity to showcase the potential for development in domestic women's ice hockey.

A total of 17 teams are participating in this year's tournament, engaging in fierce competition for seven days until the upcoming 25th. Ten teams will compete in Division 1, divided into two groups for preliminary rounds and ranking matches, while seven teams in Division 2 will compete in a round-robin format. With players of various age groups participating, ranging from youth to adults, the tournament is expected to serve as a venue for intergenerational exchange and growth.

Lee Won-bok, Secretary General of the Korea Pork Self-Help Fund, Yang Seung-jun, President of the Korea Ice Hockey Association, and Lee Sang-eun, Member of the Gender Equality Committee of the Korea Ice Hockey Association, attended the opening ceremony to encourage the players. Following this, the distinguished guests and the team captains performed a puck drop ceremony together to mark the start of the tournament.

Lee Ki-hong, Chairman of the Korea Pork Self-Sufficiency Fund, said, “I hope the players participating in this competition will fully showcase their skills, provide good motivation to one another, and grow to the next level,” adding, “I hope this competition will be an opportunity for women’s ice hockey players to gain more experience and grow, and the Korea Pork Self-Sufficiency Fund will also support the spread of a healthy sports culture and challenges in various fields.”