Africa & the Middle East,
compared
How the region’s ice hockey nations measure up against each other: IIHF standing, registered players, world rankings, rinks, who is entered for the 2027 World Championships, and the leagues each one plays at home.
The full table
| Country | IIHF | Players | Men’s rank | Women’s rank | IIHF-size rinks | Men’s Worlds 2027 | Domestic competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf | |||||||
| United Arab Emirates | Full · 2001 | 651 | #36 | — | 11 | Division II Group A Hosts, in Al Ain | Emirates Ice Hockey League |
| Kuwait | Full · 2009 | 437 | #52 | — | 1 | Division IV Group A Hosts, in Kuwait City | Kuwait Ice Hockey League |
| Qatar | Associate · 2012 | 181 | — | — | 1 | — | Qatar International Ice Hockey League |
| Oman | Associate · 2014 | 112 | — | — | 3 | — | Oman Ice Hockey Championship |
| Bahrain | Associate · 2024 | 70 | — | — | 1 | — | None found |
| Levant and Iran | |||||||
| Iran | Full · 2019 | 745 | #54 | — | 6 | Division IV Group B Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Iran Ice Hockey League |
| Lebanon | Associate · 2019 | 138 | — | — | 0 | — | None found |
| North Africa | |||||||
| Egypt | Not a member | — | — | — | — | — | Egyptian Hockey League |
| Morocco | Associate · 2010 | 779 | — | — | 2 | Division IV Group B Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | None found |
| Algeria | Associate · 2019 | 128 | — | — | 1 | — | Coupe d’Algérie |
| Tunisia | Associate · 2021 | 94 | — | — | 1 | — | None found |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | |||||||
| South Africa | Full · 1937 | 491 | #47 | #36 | 7 | Division III Group A Taichung, Chinese Taipei | South African Super League |
| Kenya | Associate · 2024 | 86 | — | — | 1 | — | Kenyan ice hockey league |
Gulf
- United Arab Emirates
- IIHF
- Full · 2001
- Players
- 651
- Men’s rank
- #36
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 11
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- Division II Group A
- Domestic competition
- Emirates Ice Hockey League
- Kuwait
- IIHF
- Full · 2009
- Players
- 437
- Men’s rank
- #52
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- Division IV Group A
- Domestic competition
- Kuwait Ice Hockey League
- Qatar
- IIHF
- Associate · 2012
- Players
- 181
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- Qatar International Ice Hockey League
- Oman
- IIHF
- Associate · 2014
- Players
- 112
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 3
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- Oman Ice Hockey Championship
- Bahrain
- IIHF
- Associate · 2024
- Players
- 70
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- None found
Levant and Iran
- Iran
- IIHF
- Full · 2019
- Players
- 745
- Men’s rank
- #54
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 6
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- Division IV Group B
- Domestic competition
- Iran Ice Hockey League
- Lebanon
- IIHF
- Associate · 2019
- Players
- 138
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 0
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- None found
North Africa
- Egypt
- IIHF
- Not a member
- Players
- —
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- —
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- Egyptian Hockey League
- Morocco
- IIHF
- Associate · 2010
- Players
- 779
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 2
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- Division IV Group B
- Domestic competition
- None found
- Algeria
- IIHF
- Associate · 2019
- Players
- 128
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- Coupe d’Algérie
- Tunisia
- IIHF
- Associate · 2021
- Players
- 94
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- None found
Sub-Saharan Africa
- South Africa
- IIHF
- Full · 1937
- Players
- 491
- Men’s rank
- #47
- Women’s rank
- #36
- IIHF-size rinks
- 7
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- Division III Group A
- Domestic competition
- South African Super League
- Kenya
- IIHF
- Associate · 2024
- Players
- 86
- Men’s rank
- —
- Women’s rank
- —
- IIHF-size rinks
- 1
- Men’s Worlds 2027
- —
- Domestic competition
- Kenyan ice hockey league
Players, rankings and rinks are the figures each federation reports to the International Ice Hockey Federation, as shown on its iihf.com member page. A dash means the IIHF lists none, or the country is not a member and reports nothing. The counts are self-reported and not always current: the IIHF has itself described Kenya’s only rink as well below international size, and Oman’s skating committee said in 2025 that the country lacks an international-standard facility. Egypt is not yet a member; the Egyptian Hockey League is pursuing recognition.
Head to head
- North Africa · GulfEgypt vs UAE
The Gulf’s biggest hockey nation against Egypt’s league, and a 2–2 club record from Al Ain.
Compare - North Africa · GulfEgypt vs Oman
Two young hockey nations, and five Union Classic games, two of them settled by shootouts.
Compare - Gulf · GulfUAE vs Kuwait
The Gulf’s two IIHF full members, and both hosts of a 2027 World Championship.
Compare - North Africa · Sub-Saharan AfricaEgypt vs South Africa
Africa’s oldest IIHF member, with men’s and women’s world rankings, against Egypt’s young league.
Compare - North Africa · North AfricaEgypt vs Morocco
The most registered players in Africa and a new rink in Rabat, against Egypt’s league at Sun City Mall.
Compare - Sub-Saharan Africa · North AfricaSouth Africa vs Morocco
The only two African men’s teams entered for the 2027 World Championships.
Compare
Compare any two
Egypt ahead on 0, United Arab Emirates ahead on 3.
- IIHF membershipEgypt: NoneNot a memberPursuing recognitionUnited Arab Emirates: FullFull member (ahead)Since 2001
- Registered playersEgypt: —Not reportedUnited Arab Emirates: 651651
- Men’s world rankingEgypt: —UnrankedUnited Arab Emirates: #36#36 (ahead)
- Women’s world rankingEgypt: —UnrankedUnited Arab Emirates: —Unranked
- IIHF-size indoor rinksEgypt: —Not reportedUnited Arab Emirates: 1111
- Men’s Worlds 2027Egypt: —Not enteredUnited Arab Emirates: Div II ADivision II Group A (ahead)Hosts, in Al Ain
- Women’s Worlds 2027Egypt: —Not enteredUnited Arab Emirates: —Not entered
- Domestic competitionEgypt: EHLEgyptian Hockey League3-on-3, at Sun City MallUnited Arab Emirates: EIHLEmirates Ice Hockey League
Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq have no IIHF member and no active ice hockey body we could find, so they have no row. Nor do Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Libya or Mauritius: their hockey federations play field hockey. Namibia’s association left the IIHF in 2017. Israel and Türkiye are left out because both compete in European structures. If your country plays and should be here, tell us. For every club and federation by name, see the Middle East directory.
The region, compared
Which country is best at ice hockey in Africa and the Middle East?
By the IIHF men’s world ranking: the United Arab Emirates (36th), South Africa (47th), Kuwait (52nd) and Iran (54th), the only countries here with a men’s world ranking. South Africa is the only one with a women’s ranking (36th). In 2027 the United Arab Emirates play in Division II Group A, the highest men’s World Championship division of any country here.
Which country has the most ice hockey players?
By players registered with the IIHF: Morocco (779), Iran (745), the United Arab Emirates (651) and South Africa (491). The counts include youth players from under-8 to under-20, as each federation reports them.
Which African countries play ice hockey?
South Africa (full member, 1937), Morocco (associate member, 2010), Algeria (associate member, 2019), Tunisia (associate member, 2021) and Kenya (associate member, 2024) are IIHF members. Egypt is not a member, but has an organised league: the Egyptian Hockey League in Cairo, which is pursuing IIHF recognition.
Which countries in the region host IIHF tournaments in 2027?
The United Arab Emirates (men’s Division II Group A, Al Ain), Kuwait (men’s Division IV Group A, Kuwait City) and South Africa (men’s under-18 Division IV, Cape Town).
Where do these figures come from?
From each federation’s member page on iihf.com, checked in November 2026: membership, registered players, world rankings, IIHF-size indoor rinks and the 2027 tournaments each country is entered for. Domestic leagues and clubs come from the league’s own research, with a 2025 or 2026 source for each. To correct anything, email hello@egyptianhockeyleague.com.