United Arab Emirates men's national ice hockey team

United Arab Emirates
AssociationUAE Ice Sports Federation
General managerJuma Al-Dhaheri
Hamel Al-Qubaisi
Head coachDavid Rich
CaptainAli Al-Haddad
Most gamesJuma Al-Dhaheri (113)
Top scorerJuma Al-Dhaheri (108)
Most pointsJuma Al-Dhaheri (227)
Home stadiumAbu Dhabi Ice Rink
Team colors       
IIHF codeUAE
Ranking
Current IIHF32 2 (26 May 2025)[1]
Highest IIHF36 (2024)
Lowest IIHF48 (2019)
First international
  4–0  Thailand
(Changchun, China; 26 January 2007)
Biggest win
  25–0  Bahrain
(Astana, Kazakhstan; 31 January 2011)
Biggest defeat
Kazakhstan  38–0  
(Changchun, China; 27 January 2007)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances11 (first in 2010)
Best result31st (2024, 2025)
Asian Winter Games
Appearances3 (first in 2007)
Best result6th (2007)
Arab Cup of Ice Hockey
Appearances1 (first in 2008)
Best result 1st (2008)
IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia
Appearances9 (first in 2009)
Best result 1st (2009, 2012, 2017)
Gulf Ice Hockey Championship
Appearances4 (first in 2010)
Best result 1st (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016)
International record (W–L–T)
92–39–1
Medal record
Arab Cup
2008 Abu Dhabi
GCC Gulf Championship
2010 Kuwait City
2012 Abu Dhabi
2014 Kuwait City
2016 Doha
GCC Games
2022 Kuwait City
Challenge Cup of Asia
2009 Abu Dhabi
2012 Dehradun
2017 Bangkok
2010 Taipei City
2011 Kuwait City
2014 Abu Dhabi
2015 Taipei City
2016 Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates national ice hockey team (Arabic: منتخب الإمارات العربية المتحدة لهوكي الجليد) is the national men's ice hockey team of the United Arab Emirates. It is operated under the UAE Ice Sports Federation and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).[2] As of 26 May 2019, the UAE is currently ranked 48th in the IIHF World Ranking and competes in Division III Group A tournament of the World Championships.

History

In June 2008, the UAE took part in the inaugural Arab Cup in Abu Dhabi, also involving the national teams of Algeria, Morocco, and Kuwait. They went on to finish first in the standings and won the gold medal after defeating Kuwait, 4–1. They won the gold in the 2009 IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia also in Abu Dhabi.

In 2010, the UAE became the first from an Arab nation to play in the IIHF World Championship when they participated in Division III.[3] Although the UAE was not ranked in the world rankings until they played against Ireland, Luxembourg, and Greece, and finished last in Group A with a record of four losses. Their new head coach was Teemu Taruvuori of Finland. In May 2010, the UAE participated in the Kuwaiti organized GCC Gulf Championship, finishing first after winning all three of their games.[4]

Withdrawal from 2011 and 2016 IIHF tournaments

The UAE decided to withdraw from the 2011 Division III tournament in Cape Town, South Africa because they refused to compete against Israel, who was also in the tournament. They also withdrew from the 2016 Division III tournament, with no reason cited.[5]

Tournament record

World Championships

Year Host Result GP W OTW OTL L
1930 through 2009 did not enter
2010 Kockelscheuer 46th place
(4th in Division III A)
3 0 0 0 3
2011 Cape Town Withdrew from tournament
2012 Erzurum did not participate
2013 Cape Town 46th place
(6th in Division III)
5 0 0 0 5
2014 Kockelscheuer 45th place
(5th in Division III)
5 1 0 1 3
2015 İzmir 46th place
(6th in Division III)
6 1 0 1 4
2016 Istanbul Withdrew from tournament
2017 Sofia 47th place
(7th in Division III,
Relegated)
4 0 0 0 4
2018 Sarajevo 49th place
(3rd in Division III Q)
3 1 0 0 2
2019 Abu Dhabi 47th place
(1st in Division III Q,
Promoted)
5 4 0 0 1
2020 and 2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[6][7]
2022 Kockelscheuer 37th place
(1st in Division III A,
Promoted)
4 4 0 0 0
2023 Istanbul 35th place
(1st in Division II B,
Promoted)
5 5 0 0 0
2024 Belgrade 31st place (3rd in Division II A) 5 3 0 0 2
2025 Belgrade 31st place (3rd in Division II A) 5 2 0 0 4
Total 11/14 50 21 0 2 27

Asian Winter Games

Year Host Result GP W OTW OTL L
1986 through 2003 did not enter
2007 Changchun 6th place 4 2 0 0 2
2011 Astana 8th place
(3rd in Premier Division)
6 4 0 0 2
2017 Sapporo 7th place
(3rd in Division I)
5 3 0 0 2
2025 Harbin
Total 3/3 15 9 0 0 6

Arab Cup/GCC Gulf Championship

Year Host Result GP W OTW OTL L
Arab Cup (2008)
2008 Abu Dhabi 1st place 5 4 1 0 0
GCC Gulf Championship (2010–2016)
2010 Kuwait City 1st place 3 3 0 0 0
2012 Abu Dhabi 1st place 5 4 1 0 0
2014 Kuwait City 1st place 5 5 0 0 0
2016 Doha 1st place 5 5 0 0 0
GCC Games (2022)
2022 Kuwait City 1st place 3 3 0 0 0
Total 6/6 26 24 2 0 0

Challenge Cup of Asia

Year Host Result GP W OTW OTL L
2008 Hong Kong did not participate
2009 Abu Dhabi 1st place 5 5 0 0 0
2010 Taipei City 2nd place 5 3 0 1 1
2011 Kuwait City 2nd place 5 4 0 0 1
2012 Dehradun 1st place 5 5 0 0 0
2013 Bangkok 6th place 5 2 0 1 2
2014 Abu Dhabi 2nd place 5 3 1 0 1
2015 Taipei City 2nd place 4 3 0 0 1
2016 Abu Dhabi 2nd place 4 3 0 0 1
2017 Bangkok 1st place 4 3 1 0 0
2018 Pasay did not participate
2019 Kuala Lumpur
2020 Singapore
Total 9/13 42 31 2 2 7

All-time record against other nations

Last match update: 27 April 2024[8]

Key
     Positive balance (more Wins)
     Neutral balance (Wins = Losses)
     Negative balance (more Losses)
Team GP W T L GF GA
 Algeria 2 2 0 0 16 6
 Australia 1 1 0 0 5 4
 Bahrain 4 4 0 0 60 2
 Belgium 1 1 0 0 4 3
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 4 0 1 27 14
 Bulgaria 2 1 0 1 12 13
 Chinese Taipei 10 3 0 7 39 39
 Croatia 1 0 0 1 1 4
 Georgia 4 2 0 2 19 26
 Greece 3 1 0 2 6 11
 Hong Kong 9 4 1 4 37 27
 Iceland 1 1 0 0 7 2
 India 1 1 0 0 10 0
 Iran 1 1 0 0 9 6
 Ireland 2 0 0 2 5 15
 Israel 1 1 0 0 10 6
 Kazakhstan 1 0 0 1 0 38
 Kuwait 17 17 0 0 83 19
 Kyrgyzstan 3 0 0 3 8 30
 Luxembourg 7 2 0 5 19 48
 Macau 3 3 0 0 22 0
 Malaysia 6 6 0 0 46 7
 Mexico 1 1 0 0 9 4
 Mongolia 8 8 0 0 38 12
 Morocco 1 1 0 0 9 0
 New Zealand 1 1 0 0 7 1
 North Korea 4 0 0 4 6 33
 Oman 6 6 0 0 47 9
 Qatar 4 4 0 0 28 3
 Saudi Arabia 2 2 0 0 19 2
 Serbia 1 0 0 1 2 5
 Singapore 4 4 0 0 30 6
 South Africa 2 0 0 2 0 23
 Thailand 13 10 0 3 58 39
 Turkey 3 2 0 1 21 19
 Turkmenistan 2 1 0 1 10 8
Total 132 90 1 41 694 477

See also

References

  1. ^ "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  2. ^ "UAE ice hockey team 'know we can compete' | The National". The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  3. ^ Loonen, Joeri (20 April 2010). "From Abu Dhabi to the Acropolis". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  4. ^ Merk, Martin (8 June 2010). "UAE wins Gulf Championship". International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  5. ^ "Men's Div. III begins". IIHF.com. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Men's Division II, III cancelled". IIHF. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  7. ^ "IIHF – IIHF Council announces more cancellations". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Ice Hockey in U.A.E." National Teams of Ice Hockey. Retrieved 30 April 2023.