Topics up for discussion at the Congress, which is the first major event on the IIHF calendar and the last meeting of IIHF members before the 2019 World Championships, include regulation changes and the development of the sport.

IIHF President René Fasel began the Congress with a welcome speech in which he highlighted the need for cooperation.

"Cooperation is necessary to achieve anything, whether it is in a Committee meeting, the organisation of a hockey tournament, or at an IIHF Congress," he said.

"We have two Congresses each year because we believe in getting the ice hockey family together to discuss the game."

The IIHF Council met on Tuesday (September 25) to discuss the agenda, before a meeting with national associations took place yesterday, to discuss preparations for the next Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022.

IIHF vice-president for Asia Thomas Wu called the meeting "very positive" with "significant steps" already being made in preparation for the Games in the Chinese capital. 

Also on the agenda at the Congress will be an update on the new "3-on-3" format which will debut at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne.

The Congress will end tomorrow.