The Kazakhstan men's national ice hockey team is controlled by Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation. Kazakhstan is currently ranked 16th in the world. In their first Olympic Games in 1998, the Kazakhs were able to win their preliminary group, surprising many, and would finish the tournament in 8th place. Unlike most European countries, the national team officially began competing against other nations as a member of the IIHF in the 1993 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, one year after being admitted into the federation. The hockey system of Kazakhstan is ranked 12th best in Europe.