Women’s hockey at the 2030 Olympics is set to feature 25-player rosters, matching the men

Women’s hockey rosters for the 2030 Olympics in the French Alps are expected to include 25 players, up from 23.

The change was quietly included in the event program released by organizers earlier this week. Men’s hockey has had 25-player rosters for each of the past four Olympics going back to Sochi in 2014.

It is being billed as the first Winter Games with gender balance, with 1,525 women and 1,521 men making up the 3,046 athletes across 126 events. That number is 300 men to 250 women in hockey because there are 10 teams in the women’s tournament, compared to 12 on the men’s side.

Women’s hockey, which debuted at the Olympics in Nagano in 1998 at the same time NHL players began taking part on the men’s side, is experiencing a time of growth. The PWHL is expanding to 12 teams for its fourth season after being at eight in its third and six during its first two.

Olympic hockey in four years is set to take place in Lyon, after far-right new Nice mayor Eric Ciotti opposed the plan in place for his city to turn its soccer stadium into temporary rinks. Organizers said curling, short-track speed skating and figure skating would also make up the Lyon cluster.

The U.S. defeated Canada on Megan Keller’s goal in overtime in the final in Milan in February. The U.S. has won gold in women’s hockey three times, in 1998, 2018 and ‘26, and Canada five times, ’02, ‘06, ’10, ‘14 and ’22.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press