Referee Julia Kainberger was selected by the International Ice Hockey Association (IIHF) as one of twelve referees for the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026. The Salzburg native will act as a game director at the women’s Olympic ice hockey tournament in Italy after being there as a line judge at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2022. In December 2023, she was the first female headfere a match of the Win2day Ice Hockey League.
This is a childhood dream that comes true, ”beams Julia Kainberger after the nominations have been officially announced. The anticipation is naturally great, especially, since these Olympic Games are under completely different signs than that 2022 in Beijn).“ At that time everything was still all about the Covid19 pandemy, the games were now without viewers. At home.
Immediately after the final at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2022, the IIHF started a selection process called “Road to Milano”, in which the now nominated referees and lines were continuously filtered out. Also present is Julia Kainberger, who made her debut on Win2day Ice Hockey League on December 30, 2023. At that time, the ÖEHV and IIH referee was the first female referee with HK SZ Olimpija Ljubljana against Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey a match of the top domestic ice hockey league.
As a referee, she was used as part of “Road to Milano” at the Olympic Games Pre-Qualation, Women Group H in the Swedish Gävle in February 2025 and was ultimately nominated as one of twelve referees for Milano Cortina 2026.
Julia Kainberger: “This is a confirmation of the work that you have done for four years. There is an enormous process behind that you have to prove yourself year after year. The Referees squad is very North America-heavy. Since one of only four Europeans is selected. I hope that this gives the local referee a push. Year, all the birthdays and the many trips.
Last season, the 30-year-old Salzburg woman reached another big career step: Kainberger was the first woman to head for a game in the Champions Hockey League as a referee and immediately followed another match. Kainberger celebrated her debut as a main referee in the Champions Hockey League at the Duel of the ZSC Lions Zurich against the Straubing Tigers. Immediately afterwards, the Salzburg native was in action again in the Champions Hockey League and whistled the match genève servette against Ilves Tampere together with the Finn Mikko Kakokari.
The AHS teacher, who took part in four world championships for Austria as a national player, is an internationally a sought-after referee. So she was already working as a head referee at five IIHF world championships, in which she headed a final and two U18 world championships-with two final games.
Ice.Hockey, picture: icehl
