Germany's Franz Reindl elected president of the International Ice Hockey Federation

Franz Reindl of Germany has been elected president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Deutsche Welle (DW) and TASS both reported his election.

According to DW, Reindl defeated Petr Briza of the Czech Republic 60-57 in a run-off vote on Friday, 2 October 2026. DW reported that the vote took place on the Spanish island of Tenerife.

How the vote unfolded

According to DW, Briza led Reindl 48-36 in the first round of voting. Reindl then gained votes after Aivaz Omorkanov of Kyrgyzstan was eliminated. DW also reported that six of a total of nine candidates withdrew before the election.

Background

DW reported that Reindl is 71 years old and has been a member of the IIHF Council since 2016. He succeeds Luc Tardif, a Canadian-born Frenchman. According to DW, Tardif announced in March that he would not seek another term. Reindl was the runner-up to Tardif in the IIHF presidential election five years earlier. DW reported that Reindl's term runs until 2030.

According to DW, Reindl was the first CEO of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), from 1994 to 1996. He headed the organizing committees for the 2001, 2010 and 2017 World Championships. He was president of the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) from 2014 to 2022. During that period, Germany's men's team won silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

As a player, Reindl won Olympic bronze with West Germany in 1976, according to DW. He played 669 games and scored 423 goals over 16 seasons in the Eishockey-Bundesliga. Briza also won Olympic bronze, as a goaltender with Czechoslovakia in Albertville in 1992.

DW reported that Reindl is the second German to be elected IIHF president. The first was Günter Sabetzki, who held the post from 1975 to 1994. According to DW, Tardif's presidency included the return of National Hockey League players to the Olympic tournament in Milan Cortina in 2026. It also included the exclusion of Russia from international play in 2022 over its war in Ukraine.

What each side says

DW quoted Frank Lutz, the current DEB chairman, as saying: "Franz Reindl has shaped German ice hockey for decades—as a player, but above all through the various key roles he has held within our federation." DW also quoted Lutz as saying: "The fact that the international ice hockey family is now entrusting him with the leadership of the IIHF is a great tribute to his work."

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include any comment from Reindl, Briza or Tardif on the result.

What remains unclear

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include an official IIHF statement. The first-round and run-off figures are as reported by DW. The reports do not give Omorkanov's first-round total. They do not identify the six candidates who withdrew or explain their withdrawals. They also do not state when Reindl formally takes office. The TASS report reviewed consists only of a headline. All details of the vote come from DW.

Analysis

According to DW, the run-off margin was 60-57. That narrow result suggests that member federations were closely divided. It may shape how Reindl builds consensus during a term that DW says runs until 2030. His long record in German hockey administration and on the IIHF Council points to continuity in governance. His priorities, however, are not described in the reports reviewed. Questions such as Russia's exclusion, which began in 2022, and the IIHF's relationship with the NHL could test the new leadership. Whether he will maintain or change his predecessor's approach remains open. An official IIHF statement would help confirm the vote details.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.