Azerbaijan
| Azerbaijan | |
 | |
| Continent | Eurasia |
| Population | 9,165,000 |
| Registered players | N/A |
| Referees | N/A |
| Rinks | N/A |
| National teams | None |
| National federation | Ice Hockey Federation of the Republic of Azerbaijan |
| IIHF since | May 6, 1992 |
| IIHF ranking | N/A |
| Top league | None |
Azerbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Baku is the capital and largest city.
History of hockey in Azerbaijan
The Ice Hockey Federation of the Republic of Azerbaijan was founded in 1991 as part of the Soviet Ice Hockey Federation. After the Soviet Union broke up in 1992, the federation became independent, and joined the IIHF on May 6, 1992.[1]
There are claims that there is a three team league in Azerbaijan, featuring teams named Atasport, Azneftheim and Svayzist[2]; there are however no sources that seem to back it. References to ice hockey (Buzüstü xokkey) in Azeri media are extremely scarce and nothing about a league is mentioned. It appears that these are actually field hockey teams.
In 1961, Baku hosted a tournament where the different Soviet republics played against each other. Azerbaijan, however, did not have a team at the tournament. The national team has yet to make its international debut.
There is an ice rink in Baku known as the Glavbakstroy Sports Palace.[3]
A team representing Azerbaijan, but composed almost entirely of Russians, has competed in the amateur Friendly Hockey League in Russia for many years.[4]
