Throughout the UK, ice hockey is loved and enjoyed by thousands of players, fans, officials and volunteers.
The sport boasts passionate fan bases, making it the most popular indoor sport in the UK.
Behind the sport, Ice Hockey UK, England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey believe that to both serve the sport better now, and also to grow the game longer-term, there is strength and opportunities by merging as a single governing body.
On 17 December, members of the respective organisations will be asked to vote in favour of merging the three bodies together to ensure greater nationwide collaborative and collective progress for the UK ice hockey community.
Henry Staelens, chief executive officer at Ice Hockey UK and England Ice Hockey commented: “A single governing body would give the sport a platform to unlock its full potential.
“With England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales all working together, we can deliver a stronger pathway from the grassroots and recreational side of the sport, to the elite.
“A merged body would enable us to secure new investment, improve and lobby for facilities and build a nationwide vision for the sport.
“Merging Ice Hockey UK, England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey is more than governance. We are ambitious and believe in the sport to create opportunities and memories for life for new and existing players, clubs, fans, officials and volunteers.”
Together As One, ice hockey in the UK will focus on five core principles, underpinning the work of the Executive Team. These include:
1. Professionalise to perform
- Single, best-in-class operating model fit to serve the sport
- Recruit a number of new roles to better support clubs, players, coaches, officials and volunteers
- United pathway and strategy from grassroots to elite across Men, Women and Para
2. Enhance the experience
- Make it easier to join, play, coach, officiate and volunteer
- Improved communications with members and initiatives to reduce costs
- Quicker resolutions to queries or concerns
3. Member-centricity
- Giving members an amplified voice at Board-level across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
- Greater investment in progressive welfare, safety and assurance programmes
- Access to greater levels of public funding to invest directly into the sport
4. Sustainability for generations to come
- Robust, transparent governance to give everyone certainty
- More financial resources to serve the sport
- Deeper focus on breaking down barriers to entry (cost, ice availability and equal opportunities)
5. Fully recognise potential
- Greater investment in the development pathway for young athletes and Olympic aspirations
- Opportunity to grow the sport, innovate for members and improve facilities
- Elevate all-levels of the game through commercialisation
Behind these principles will sit a number of workstreams to realise their potential, delivered by the executive team.
About the Ice Hockey UK, England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey merger
Ice Hockey UK, England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey will call an extraordinary general meeting for their respective organisations on Wednesday 17 December 2025, where the boards will encourage members to vote in favour of merging the bodies.
Formal notice, voting papers and full details will be issued to voting members of the organisations in due course.
In advance of the vote, England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey will host a number of meetings with key stakeholders and groups across the sport, to ensure the merger delivers improvement and certainty in relation to their requirements.
Additionally, a drop-in Q&A session led by Henry Staelens and Grant King (chief operating officer, IHUK & EIH) will be held on 26 November 2025 via Microsoft Teams, which will be open to all registered voting members of EIH and SIH. Details on how to register and attend will be circulated shortly.
Full information and updates on the proposed merger will be shared across England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey channels in the coming weeks.
Members are welcome to submit any questions or comments about the merger in advance via memberservices@englandicehockey.com for England and media@scottishicehockey.co.uk for Scotland.
England Ice Hockey and Scottish Ice Hockey staff will ensure all queries are addressed during the sessions or in the follow-up materials.
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