2026 IIHF World U18 Championships

2026 IIHF U18 World Championship

Tournament details
Host country	Slovakia
Cities	Trenčín Bratislava
Venues	2 (in 2 host cities)
Dates	22 April – 2 May 2026
Teams	10
Official website
www.iihf.com
←  2025 2027  →

The 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship will be the 27th such event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams will participate at several levels of competition. ^[1] These tournaments also serve as qualifications for the 2027 competition.

Top Division

The Top Division tournament will be played in Trenčín and Bratislava, Slovakia, from 22 April to 2 May 2026. ^{[2] [3]}

ParticIpants

Ten teams will take part in the competition. Denmark will return for the first time since 2019. They will replace Switzerland, who were relegated to Division I A for the first time since 2006 after finishing last in 2025.

Qualification	Host	Dates	Vacancies	Qualified
Top nine in 2025	Allen / Frisco	April 23 – May 3, 2025	9	Canada   Sweden   United States   Slovakia   Finland   Germany   Czechia   Latvia   Norway
Promoted from Division I	Székesfehérvár	20–26 April 2025	1	Denmark

Summary of qualified teams

Team	Qualification method	Appearance(s)				Previous best performance
		Total [a]	First [a]	Last [a]	Streak [a]
Canada	First in 2025	24th	2002	2025	24	Champions (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021, 2024, 2025)
Sweden	Second in 2025	27th	1999		27	Champions ( 2019 , 2022)
United States	Third in 2025				27	Champions (Eleven times) [b]
Slovakia	Fourth in 2025	26th			4	Runners-up (2003)
Finland	Fifth in 2025	27th			27	Champions (1999, 2000, 2016, 2018)
Germany	Sixth in 2025	19th			2	Fifth place (2001, 2008)
Czechia	Seventh in 2025	27th			27	Runners-up (2014)
Latvia	Eighth in 2025	14th	2007		7	Seventh place (2022)
Norway	Ninth in 2025	11th	1999		4	Ninth place (2001, 2009, 2011, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Denmark	Champions of Division I A	7th	2004	2019	1	Eighth place (2004)

Preliminary round

All times are local (Central European Summer Time; UTC+2).

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Quarterfinals
2	Slovakia (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Finland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Latvia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation round

First match(es) will be played: 22 Apr 2026. Source: IIHF
(H) Host

22 April 2026 14:00

Norway

v

Finland

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

22 April 2026 18:00

Canada

v

Slovakia

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

23 April 2026 14:00

Canada

v

Latvia

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

23 April 2026 18:00

Slovakia

v

Norway

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

24 April 2026 18:00

Finland

v

Latvia

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

25 April 2026 14:00

Norway

v

Canada

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

25 April 2026 18:00

Slovakia

v

Finland

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

26 April 2026 18:00

Latvia

v

Norway

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

27 April 2026 14:00

Finland

v

Canada

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

27 April 2026 18:00

Latvia

v

Slovakia

Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium, Trenčín

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sweden	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Quarterfinals
2	United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Germany	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Czech Republic	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation round

Source: IIHF

22 April 2026 12:00

Germany

v

Sweden

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

22 April 2026 16:00

Czech Republic

v

United States

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

23 April 2026 12:00

Denmark

v

Germany

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

23 April 2026 16:00

Sweden

v

Czech Republic

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

24 April 2026 16:00

United States

v

Denmark

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

25 April 2026 12:00

Germany

v

Czech Republic

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

25 April 2026 16:00

Sweden

v

United States

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

26 April 2026 16:00

Czech Republic

v

Denmark

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

27 April 2026 12:00

Denmark

v

Sweden

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

27 April 2026 16:00

United States

v

Germany

Ice Hockey Arena Ružinov, Bratislava

Division I

Main article: 2026 IIHF World U18 Championship Division I

Group A

The Division I Group A tournament was played in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland from 18 to 24 April 2026. ^[4]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to the 2027 Top Division
2	Ukraine	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Kazakhstan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Slovenia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Hungary	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Poland (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to the 2027 Division I B

First match(es) will be played: 18 April 2026. Source: IIHF
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

Group B

The Division I Group B tournament was played in Tallinn, Estonia from 25 April to 1 May 2026. ^[5]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Austria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to the 2027 Division I A
2	Lithuania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Estonia (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Italy	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to the 2027 Division II A

First match(es) will be played: 25 April 2026. Source: IIHF
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

Division II

Main article: 2026 IIHF World U18 Championship Division II

Group A

The Division II Group A tournament will be played in Târgu Secuiesc, Romania from 18 to 24 April 2026. ^[6]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Japan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to the 2027 Division I B
2	Great Britain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	China	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Croatia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Romania (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to the 2027 Division II B

First match(es) will be played: 12 April 2026. Source: IIHF
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

Group B

The Division II Group B tournament will be played in Belgrade, Serbia from 5 to 11 April 2026. ^[7]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Netherlands	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to the 2027 Division II A
2	Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Chinese Taipei	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Belgium	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Serbia (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to the 2027 Division III A

First match(es) will be played: 5 April 2026. Source: IIHF
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

Division III

Main article: 2026 IIHF World U18 Championship Division III

Group A

The Division III Group A tournament will be played in Hong Kong, China from 2 to 8 March 2026. ^[8]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Bulgaria	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Promotion to the 2027 Division II B
2	Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Israel	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Hong Kong (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	New Zealand	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	Uzbekistan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Relegation to the 2027 Division III B

First match(es) will be played: 2 March 2026. Source: IIHF
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

Group B

The Division III Group B tournament was played in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina from 13 to 19 February 2026. ^[9]

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Iceland	3	2	0	0	1	19	6	+13	6	Semifinals
2	Bosnia and Herzegovina (H)	3	1	1	0	1	13	18	−5	5
3	South Africa	3	1	0	0	2	12	11	+1	3	Relegation round

Source: IIHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) total goals; 4) seeding before tournament.
(H) Host

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Thailand	3	3	0	0	0	20	7	+13	9	Semifinals
2	Turkmenistan	3	1	0	0	2	5	11	−6	3
3	Luxembourg	3	0	0	1	2	10	26	−16	1	Relegation round

Source: IIHF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) total goals; 4) seeding before tournament.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Thailand	5	4	1	0	0	38	10	+28	14	Champions / Promoted to the 2027 Division III A
2	Iceland	5	3	0	1	1	30	12	+18	10	Runners-up
3	Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	2	1	0	2	19	27	−8	8	Third place
4	Turkmenistan	5	1	0	0	4	6	29	−23	3	Fourth place
5	South Africa	5	2	0	0	3	24	19	+5	6	Fifth place
6	Luxembourg	5	1	0	1	3	18	38	−20	4	Sixth place, possible relegation

Source: IIHF

References

1. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship divisions
2. "2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Top Division official website". www.iihf.com.
3. "2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Top Division tournament reports". stats.iihf.com.
4. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division I A official website
5. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division I B official website
6. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division II A official website
7. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division II B official website
8. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division III A official website
9. 2026 IIHF U18 World Championship Division III B official website

External links

• Official website of IIHF

1. In top division. Results in tiers below are excluded.
2. United States have won in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2009 , 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2023.