2026 IIHF World Championship Division I

See also: 2026 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships

2026 IIHF World Championship
Division I

Tournament details
Host countries	Poland   China
Venues	2 (in 2 host cities)
Dates	2–8 May 29 April – 5 May
Teams	12
←  2025 2027  →

The 2026 IIHF World Championship Division I consists of two international ice hockey tournaments organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Divisions I A and I B represent the second and the third tier of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. ^[1]

Group A tournament

2026 IIHF World Championship Division I A

Tournament details
Host country	Poland
City	Sosnowiec
Venue	1 (in 1 host city)
Dates	2–8 May
Teams	6
Official website
Website

The Division I Group A tournament will be played in Sosnowiec, Poland from 2 to 8 May 2026.

Participants

Team	Qualification
Kazakhstan	Placed 15th in the Elite Division in 2025 and was relegated.
France	Placed 16th in the Elite Division in 2025 and was relegated.
Ukraine	Placed 3rd in Division I A in 2025.
Japan	Placed 4th in Division I A in 2025.
Poland	Host, placed 5th in Division I A in 2025.
Lithuania	Placed 1st in Division I B in 2025 and was promoted.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Kazakhstan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promoted to the 2027 Top Division
2	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Ukraine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Poland (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Lithuania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegated to the 2027 Division I B

First match(es) will be played: 2 May 2026. Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Results

All times are local (UTC+2). ^[2]

2 May 2026 12:30

Japan

v

France

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

2 May 2026 16:00

Lithuania

v

Kazakhstan

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

2 May 2026 19:30

Poland

v

Ukraine

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

---

3 May 2026 12:30

Kazakhstan

v

Japan

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

3 May 2026 16:00

Ukraine

v

Lithuania

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

3 May 2026 19:30

France

v

Poland

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

---

5 May 2026 12:30

Lithuania

v

Japan

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

5 May 2026 16:00

France

v

Ukraine

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

5 May 2026 19:30

Kazakhstan

v

Poland

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

---

7 May 2026 12:30

France

v

Lithuania

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

7 May 2026 16:00

Ukraine

v

Kazakhstan

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

7 May 2026 19:30

Japan

v

Poland

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

---

8 May 2026 12:30

Kazakhstan

v

France

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

8 May 2026 16:00

Ukraine

v

Japan

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

8 May 2026 19:30

Poland

v

Lithuania

Sosnowiec Arena, Sosnowiec

Group B tournament

2026 IIHF World Championship Division I B

Tournament details
Host country	China
City	Shenzhen
Venue	1 (in 1 host city)
Dates	29 April – 5 May
Teams	6
Official website
Website

The Division I Group B tournament will be played in Shenzhen, China from 29 April to 5 May 2026.

Participants

Team	Qualification
Romania	Placed 6th in Division I A in 2025 and was relegated.
South Korea	Placed 2nd in Division I B in 2025.
Estonia	Placed 3rd in Division I B in 2025.
China	Host, placed 4th in Division I B in 2025.
Spain	Placed 5th in Division I B in 2025.
Netherlands	Placed 1st in Division II A in 2025 and was promoted.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Romania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promoted to the 2027 Division I A
2	South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Estonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	China (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegated to the 2027 Division II A

First match(es) will be played: 29 April 2026. Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) result against closest best-ranked team outside tied teams; 6) result against second-best ranked team outside tied teams; 7) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Results

All times are local (UTC+8). ^[3]

29 April 2026 12:30

Spain

v

Estonia

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

29 April 2026 16:00

Netherlands

v

Romania

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

29 April 2026 19:30

China

v

South Korea

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

---

30 April 2026 12:30

Estonia

v

Netherlands

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

30 April 2026 16:00

South Korea

v

Spain

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

30 April 2026 19:30

Romania

v

China

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

---

2 May 2026 12:30

Romania

v

Spain

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

2 May 2026 16:00

South Korea

v

Estonia

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

2 May 2026 19:30

Netherlands

v

China

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

---

3 May 2026 12:30

Estonia

v

Romania

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

3 May 2026 16:00

South Korea

v

Netherlands

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

3 May 2026 19:30

China

v

Spain

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

---

5 May 2026 12:30

Romania

v

South Korea

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

5 May 2026 16:00

Spain

v

Netherlands

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

5 May 2026 19:30

Estonia

v

China

Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre, Shenzhen

References

1. "A report from the IIHF Congress". IIHF. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
2. "2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I, Group A game schedule & ticket prices". IIHF. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
3. "2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I, Group B Game Schedule Announced". IIHF. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.