The IIHF 12 Nations Tournament (although it is also known as the IIHF Eight Nations tournament) will be held in Viermäki, Finland from August 24-31. The competing nations will be the national women's teams. This is a new tournament introduced by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The goal is to close the large gaps in skill between countries by providing more competitive opportunities. The eight competing countries in Vierumaki, Finland are Canada, United States, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, Slovakia and Japan. France, Germany, Norway and the Czech Republic are playing in a mini-tournament simultaneously in Courcheval, France.