Mongolia’s women’s ice hockey team are set to make their international debut at the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup of Asia.

The team will play at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Challenge Cup of the Asia Division in Abu Dhabi from April 14 to 19, competing against fellow debutantes Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines and India.

Last summer, only four female hockey players were registered by the Mongolian Ice Hockey Federation, but there are now enough players to make up a team.

Mongolian Ice Hockey Federation vice-president Mergen Arslan is the team’s coach and brought the players together to participate in a training camp in the capital Ulaanbaatar. Several players from the men’s team also attended as coaches.

The age range in the team is from 13 to 29, and for many of the players it will be travelling outside of Mongolia for the first time