The holders will begin their campaign with a Pool B match against Germany tomorrow, as they look to stretch their run of success at the Championship.

They are joined in the pool by Poland and Switzerland, with the top two automatically progressing to the quarter-final stage of the competition.

Finland, beaten finalists in the last three editions of the event, will begin as the favourites to win Pool A.

Their first test of the competition will come against the Czech Republic on Saturday (December 2), with Norway and Latvia completing the pool.

While the top two teams in both Pool A and B will reach the last eight, the bottom sides will drop into a playoff.

They will meet the top ranked teams in Pool C and D.

Host Slovakia will hope to advance as one of the top two teams in Pool C, but they will face competition from Australia, Singapore and Estonia.

Pool D consists of Denmark, Japan, Thailand and the United States.

Competition will take place at the Ondrej Nepela Arena and the Hant Arena in Bratislava, with pool action concluding on December 4.

The playoffs will take place on the following day, with quarter-final ties then being held on December 6 and 7.

Semi-finals will be held on December 8, before the tournament concludes with the gold and bronze medal matches the next day.

Sweden have proved the dominant force at the Championships after winning seven editions, with Finland having triumphed twice.

Switzerland are the only other nation to have won the women’s title, with their success coming back in 2005.