2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships

Last updated
2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships
2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships.png
Tournament details
Host countryFlag of the United States.svg United States
Venue(s) LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
DatesMay 24–31
Teams8
Final positions
Champions Gold medal blank.svgFlag of the United States.svg  United States (7th title)
Runners-up Silver medal blank.svgFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Third place Bronze medal blank.svgFlag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia
Fourth placeFlag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China
Tournament statistics
Games played20
Goals scored134 (6.7 per game)
Attendance3,634 (182 per game)
Scoring leader(s) Flag of the United States.svg Declan Farmer (21 points)
Awards
MVP Flag of the United States.svg Declan Farmer
Official website
Buffalo 2025
  2024

The 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships was the 14th edition of World Para Ice Hockey Championships (originally named IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships) held in 2025. The tournament was hosted in Buffalo, New York, in the United States from 24 to 31 May. [1] The top five teams from the championship qualified for the 2026 Winter Paralympics. [2]

Contents

The United States won their seventh title, defeating Canada 6–1 in the final. [3] [4]

Format

The teams were divided into two groups based on their ranking, however contrary to previous years, the top two teams in each group advanced to the semifinals. The bottom two teams in each group played in the 5–8th place semifinals.

Venue

The venue was the LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo.

Buffalo
LECOM Harborcenter
LECOM Harborcenter Interior - Buffalo, NY.jpg

Teams

Germany and Norway were promoted to Pool A, securing an immediate return to the top division. For the first time, Slovakia survived relegation and competed at a their second consecutive tournament.

TeamQualification methodAppFirstLastStreakBest placement in tournament
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada First in 2024 14th 1996 2024 14Champions (2000, 2008, 2013, 2017, 2024)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States Second in 2024 and hosts14th14Champions (2009, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia Third in 20249th 2009 5Third place (2021, 2023, 2024)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Fourth in 20243rd 2023 3Fourth place (2023, 2024)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea Fifth in 202410th 2008 6Runners-up (2012)
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Sixth in 20243rd 2021 2Sixth place (2023)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Winner of Pool B 13th 1996 2023 1Champions (2004)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Runners-up of Pool B7th 2004 1Fifth place (2008)

Groups composition

The serpentine system was used to organise the groups.

Preliminary round

The schedule was announced on 30 January 2025. [2] On 29 April 2025, the referees were confirmed. [5] All times are local (UTC−4).

Group A

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 33000272+259 Semifinals
2Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 32001167+96
3Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 30102321182 5–8th place semifinals
4Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 30012521161
Source: IPC
24 May 2025
17:00
Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg11–0
(1–0, 4–0, 6–0)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 163
Game reference
2 minPenalties6 min
32Shots3
24 May 2025
20:30
China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg6–3
(2–1, 0–2, 4–0)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 54
Game reference
12 minPenalties8 min
30Shots7

25 May 2025
17:00
South Korea  Flag of South Korea.svg0–12
(0–8, 0–3, 0–1)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 64
Game reference
12 minPenalties2 min
2Shots36
25 May 2025
20:30
China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg8–0
(3–0, 5–0, 0–0)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 49
Game reference
8 minPenalties12 min
35Shots4

27 May 2025
10:00
Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg4–2
(1–1, 0–0, 3–1)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 88
Game reference
18 minPenalties8 min
25Shots15
27 May 2025
20:30
Germany  Flag of Germany.svg3–2 OT
(1–2, 1–0, 0–0)
(OT: 1–0)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 34
Game reference
8 minPenalties8 min
20Shots18

Group B

PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States (H)33000293+269 Semifinals
2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 32001135+86
3Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 31002520153 5–8th place semifinals
4Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 30003120190
Source: IPC
(H) Host
24 May 2025
10:00
Czechia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg6–1
(2–0, 1–1, 3–0)
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 61
Game reference
6 minPenalties2 min
29Shots4
24 May 2025
13:30
United States  Flag of the United States.svg12–0
(3–0, 8–0, 1–0)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 212
Game reference
0 minPenalties2 min
33Shots4

25 May 2025
10:00
Czechia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg4–0
(2–0, 1–0, 1–0)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 36
Game reference
10 minPenalties10 min
35Shots8
25 May 2025
13:30
Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg0–13
(0–5, 0–2, 0–6)
Flag of the United States.svg  United States LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 133
Game reference
2 minPenalties2 min
2Shots34

27 May 2025
13:30
United States  Flag of the United States.svg4–3
(2–0, 2–1, 0–2)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 211
Game reference
4 minPenalties0 min
29Shots14
27 May 2025
17:00
Norway  Flag of Norway.svg1–4
(0–0, 0–2, 1–2)
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 98
Game reference
14 minPenalties8 min
17Shots17

Knockout stage

Bracket

 
SemifinalsFinal
 
      
 
30 May
 
 
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6
 
31 May
 
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1
 
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6
 
30 May
 
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 1
 
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 3
 
 
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 0
 
Third place
 
 
31 May
 
 
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 1
 
 
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia (OT)2
 
5–8th place semifinalsFifth place
 
      
 
28 May
 
 
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia (OT)1
 
30 May
 
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 0
 
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 2
 
28 May
 
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 5
 
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 3
 
 
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1
 
Seventh place
 
 
30 May
 
 
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 2
 
 
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1

5–8th place semifinals

28 May 2025
13:30
Germany  Flag of Germany.svg3–1
(2–1, 0–0, 1–0)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 72
Game reference
6 minPenalties0 min
18Shots20

28 May 2025
17:00
Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg1–0 OT
(0–0, 0–0, 0–0)
(OT: 1–0)
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 62
Game reference
8 minPenalties10 min
19Shots6

Semifinals

30 May 2025
13:30
Canada  Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg3–0
(2–0, 1–0, 0–0)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 207
Game reference
12 minPenalties10 min
25Shots8

30 May 2025
17:00
United States  Flag of the United States.svg6–1
(1–0, 4–1, 1–0)
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 302
Game reference
10 minPenalties12 min
30Shots9

Seventh place game

30 May 2025
20:30
South Korea  Flag of South Korea.svg2–1
(1–0, 1–0, 0–1)
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 43
Game reference
6 minPenalties14 min
14Shots16

Fifth place game

30 May 2025
10:00
Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg2–5
(0–1, 1–2, 1–2)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 31
Game reference
6 minPenalties29 min
14Shots22

Bronze medal game

31 May 2025
12:30
China  Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg1–2 OT
(0–1, 1–0, 0–0)
(OT: 0–1)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 198
Game reference
4 minPenalties4 min
15Shots18

Gold medal game

31 May 2025
16:00
United States  Flag of the United States.svg6–1
(3–1, 1–0, 2–0)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo
Attendance: 1,516
Game reference
Griffin LaMarre Goalies Adam Kingsmill Referee:
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Patrick Myers
Linesmen:
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Dylan Dauphinee
Flag of Finland.svg Lari Niittylä
Farmer (Roybal, Wallace) (PP) – 02:421–0
Wallace (Roybal, Jones) – 03:492–0
2–105:09 – Hickey (McGregor, Cozzolino)
Pauls (Roybal) – 10:543–1
Wallace (Roybal, Farmer) – 20:104–1
Wallace (Roybal, Grove) – 36:465–1
Misiewicz (Farmer, Grove) (PP) – 38:006–1
6 minPenalties6 min
24Shots11

Final standings

The top five teams from the championship qualified for the 2026 Winter Paralympics. [2] Those teams were United States, Canada, Czechia, China and Germany. [6]

PosGrpTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsFinal result
1 B Flag of the United States.svg  United States (H)55000415+3615Champions
2 A Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 54001318+2312Runners-up
3 B Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 52102159+68Third place
4 A Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 520121815+37Fourth place
5 A Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 521021124138Fifth place game
6 B Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 51103825175
7 A Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 51022723165Relegated to Pool B
8 B Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 50005325220
Source: IPC
(H) Host

Pool B

2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships Pool B
Tournament details
Host countryFlag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan
Venue(s) Terlan Arena, Astana
Dates6–11 September
Teams6
Official website
Astana 2026
  2024
2026  

Pool B was hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan at the Terlan Arena.

Participants

TeamQualification
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Seventh and relegated from Pool A in 2024.
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Eighth and relegated from Pool A in 2024.
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Placed 3rd in Pool B in 2024.
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan Placed 4th in Pool B in 2024. Host
Flag of France.svg  France Placed 5th in Pool B in 2024.
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Placed 1st in Pool C in 2024 and was promoted.

    Results

    PosTeamPldWOTWOTLLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
    1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 000000000Advanced to Pool A
    2Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 000000000
    3Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 000000000
    4Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan (H)000000000
    5Flag of France.svg  France 000000000
    6Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 000000000Relegated to Pool C
    Source: [ citation needed ]
    (H) Host

    See also

    References

    1. "Buffalo 2025 Competition Schedule". World Para Ice Hockey Championships. Archived from the original on May 15, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
    2. 1 2 3 "Competition schedule announced as tickets go on sale for Buffalo 2025 Worlds". International Paralympic Committee.
    3. "Team USA rides passionate crowd support to gold medal win in Buffalo". International Paralympic Committee.
    4. Voss, Gregg (June 3, 2025). "U.S. Sled Team Back on Top of the World". Team USA Hockey.
    5. "The ice is theirs too: celebrating the Buffalo 2025 elite officials". International Paralympic Committee.
    6. "Buffalo 2025: Germany ends 20-year wait for Winter Games return". International Paralympic Committee.