Nagano hosted the first Winter Olympics to include women's ice hockey, in 1998.
Women's ice hockey made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games in Japan. Six teams competed, and the United States won the inaugural tournament by defeating Canada 3–1 in the gold-medal game.
The inclusion marked a major expansion of the Winter Olympic program. Ice hockey had been part of the men's Olympic program since 1920, when it appeared at the Summer Games in Antwerp, before moving permanently to the Winter Olympics in 1924.
Nagano was Japan's second Winter Olympic host after Sapporo in 1972. The 1998 Games also featured the Olympic debut of curling as a medal sport after its earlier appearances as a demonstration or unofficial event. Women's ice hockey has remained on the program ever since Nagano.