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Some of the world’s best female hockey players will be facing off in Nova Scotia in 2020.

A joint bid by Halifax and Truro, N.S. has won the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Championship.

READ MORE: Halifax committee asking council to commit $300K to bid for women’s world hockey championship

The announcement was made Tuesday at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre, which will be one of the venues in the seven-day championship. The other games will be played at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro.

“It’s the largest female hockey event other than the Olympic games,” said Scott Smith, president of Hockey Canada.

“This event will be the first time that Canada hosts a 10-team tournament. It switches from eight to 10 teams with this coming year in Finland. And so it’ll be a different looking event but something that’s even bigger with two additional teams.”

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The IIHF Women’s World Championship will return to Nova Scotia for the first time in 16 years. @globalhalifax pic.twitter.com/djT5lolsdL — Reynold Gregor (@reynoldgregor) October 30, 2018

Halifax last hosted the event in 2004.

“I think it was something that was really great for the province the last time it happened in 2004 and Jill [Saulnier] and I have some really great memories back from those days so we’re excited for all the young kids who will be out watching the games to create new memories,” said Nova Scotia Olympian Blayre Turnbull.

“Now we’re ready to put in the work to make sure that we’re on the team.”

Fellow Nova Scotia Olympian Jill Saulnier called the event a “game changer” for young players.

“Sometimes as a young female athlete, you need to see the women who have gone through the goals and the dreams that you want to go through and for us at that age, it was just that, seeing that level of hockey and that legacy that those women have started,” Saulnier said.

“It’s definitely huge for women’s hockey in Halifax.” Tweet This

In addition to funding from Halifax and the Town of Truro, the provincial government is committing $250,000 to the event.

A staff report to Halifax council estimated 82,000 people will be attending the games. The report also estimated the event will have a budget of $3.5 million, with the largest expenses in meals, followed by accommodations.

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