IIHF preparing a proposal to add 3-on-3 hockey to 2030 Winter Olympics

IIHF president Luc Tardif arrives to address the media at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

ZURICH, Switzerland -

The International Ice Hockey Federation is preparing a proposal to add 3-on-3 hockey to the Winter Olympics as soon as 2030 in the French Alps, following the same expansion that basketball has had over the past two Summer Games.

The sport’s worldwide governing body must make its submission of interest to the International Olympic Committee by January and submit the first questionnaire by March 30.

The IOC’s decision would be due by the end of next year.

Men's and women's 3x3 basketball debuted in Tokyo in 2021, took place this year in Paris and is scheduled to be a medal event in Los Angeles in 2028.

IIHF, which has spent years several years experimenting with 3-on-3 tournaments, says doing the same with hockey could allow up to 240 more players to be Olympians.

Having 3-on-3 hockey could provide a place for amateurs and other pros around the world with NHL players back in the Olympics after not participating in 2018 and '22.