The host nation was allowed one team of each gender.

The remaining eight teams were selected based on their joint Men’s and Women’s 2011 IIHF World Ranking.

[3][4] For the skills challenge, the host nation was allowed one competitor of each sex.

For the remaining competitors, national competitions were held, and the qualifiers attended a Global Skills Challenge at the 2011 Hockey Development Camp in Vierumäki, Finland.

[5] For the boys tournament, athletes born in 1996 are permitted to compete, for the girls its 1994.