Fifteen years ago, I walked into the Paseo Interlomas mall in Mexico City with my cousins and found something that took me by surprise: a regulation-sized ice hockey rink. At first I thought the rink was a last-minute idea the builders of Paseo added as a novelty — a new activity for families to try on the weekend different from what you’d normally find in Mexico City.
I’ve returned to Paseo Interlomas several times in the last decade, and in that time I’ve seen countless Mexican residents play and enjoy the game of hockey (fair warning, as a Canadian, there is only one kind to me so put the balls away.) I’ve also seen the sport’s profile rise here: when Mexico won gold at the 2025 U18 Men’s World Championship Division 3, I felt the same sense of pride hit me as when Canada’s men’s soccer team made the semifinals in the last Copa America.
My curiosity about Mexico’s relationship with the sport led to a conversation with the president of the Mexican Ice Hockey Federation, Joaquín de la Garma.
A former architect, Garma has dedicated his life to growing the sport he loves in Mexico. It’s been challenging to introduce hockey to Mexican residents, he says, since the country’s national pastime is soccer, with baseball as a close second. But little by little, Garma and his staff have made progress.
“When I started as president of the Mexican Ice Hockey Federation, we had 600 to 700 members. Today we have about 5,000,” Garma said. “I have been very dedicated in trying to promote it among young kids and also with university students. Slowly, people are showing interest once they’re exposed to hockey and know how the game works.”
NHL teams like the Dallas Stars have offered Garma and the federation their support. Dwight Mullens, the developmental director of the Dallas Stars, organizes hockey clinics in Mexico City every month to help inspire young kids. Al Montoya, a former NHL pro who played for the Montreal Canadiens, has also done his part to nurture young talent on Mexican soil by teaching the skills players need to succeed on the ice. But support from abroad goes beyond hockey clinics.
“The Dallas Stars also help support us by giving kids hockey gear like skates and sticks,” Garma said. “We also have teams that play tournaments in Dallas, so that has been exciting for our federation.”
“This December, we are going to play in the second week of the Silver Stick, which is an important hockey tournament in the United States because it attracts talent in multiple divisions from Novice to Junior. We went the year before and took eight teams, which was 100 players. We knew it wouldn’t be easy to play there because of all the great programs in the U.S., but we gained a lot of experience and that will give us momentum to play well in future competitions.”
Recently, the Las Vegas Golden Knights also began working with the Mexican hockey federation to help promote the sport and potentially develop young talent.
Mexico’s senior men’s hockey team plays in Division 3 Group A, while the senior women’s team is doing a little better, competing in Division 2 Group B. To give you perspective, hockey nations like Canada, the United States and Sweden play in what’s known as the Championship Level, three divisions above.
Mexico may have a long way to go until they move up to the top flight, but their gold medal in the U18 Men’s World Championship has earned them the right to compete in Division 2 Group B. Perhaps all the clinics are proving to be instrumental in elevating Mexico’s hockey culture.
“The U18 tournament was hosted in Mexico City and having home ice advantage was beneficial to us in our preparation. Our team went undefeated in five straight games en route to gold, which is something I’m proud of since we played with heart,” Garma said.
“It’s also important to note we sold over 3000 tickets for the games, and I was happy to see the excitement among local Mexican fans. I believe that’s going to encourage more kids to play hockey in the future. The more opportunities we give Mexicans to be exposed to hockey, the more our fanbase and talent pool will grow in the coming years.”
Mexico has 16 hockey rinks in the country, including several in Mexico City, Querétero, Monterey, León, and Puebla. Cancun, Mérida, Villahermosa, and Tabasco, have also opened hockey rinks. Garma has made sure each rink is home to one club team and that each club plays for a national championship. The rinks are also open to the public, where kids can be around hockey and ignite their passion for the game.
“The future is bright because we’re seeing progress in both the development of our national teams and in the reception of fans,” Garma said. “We’re selling tickets for tournament games, getting kids involved, and gaining traction as an organization, so I think hockey is a growing sport in Mexico.”
“My dream is to make it a universal sport throughout the Americas, not just in Canada and the United States. But it’s going to take time for Mexico to catch up to that level of play. A part of that is competing against respectable hockey nations, and we’ve managed to play against countries like Poland, Great Britain, France, and Italy, which all have great professional leagues and players.”
“I’m also trying to recruit foreign players to come play in Mexico. We’re getting interest from players in Europe, but hopefully one day Canadian and American players will also want to play pro hockey in Mexico and help give us more credibility on a global scale.”
The semi-professional Liga Mexicana Elite de Hockey is the highest level of competition in the country. It currently has five teams and draws a respectable amount of fans. You can stream the games online from the Mexican Hockey Federation’s website. But you can also watch the games live if you’re in Mexico City, especially if you’re in the Santa Fe area.
Exposure to the sport is an ongoing process in Mexico, but if you think you might have what it takes to be a Latin Gordie Howe, now is the time to show the country what you’re made of.
Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.
