2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

Last updated
2026 IIHF World Junior Championship
2026 IIHF World Junior Championship logo.png
Tournament details
Host countryFlag of the United States.svg United States
City Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Venue(s) Grand Casino Arena and
3M Arena at Mariucci
DatesDecember 26, 2025 –
January 5, 2026
Teams10
  2025
2027  

The 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (2026 WJC) will be the 50th Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. The top division will begin on December 26, 2025, and will end with the gold medal game being played on January 5, 2026. [1]

Contents

Top Division

Background

The tournament will be returning to Minnesota after last being hosted there in 1982. This will mark the seventh time that the United States will host the WJC and first time since 2018. [2] [3]

Venues

The tournament games will be played at the Grand Casino Arena, home of the Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Frost, and 3M Arena at Mariucci, located at the University of Minnesota. [4] [5] [6]

Saint Paul Minneapolis
Grand Casino Arena
Capacity: 17,954
3M Arena at Mariucci
Capacity: 10,257
XcelEnergyCenteroverview.jpg Mariucci Arena with flags.jpg

Summary of qualified teams

Ten teams will take part in the competition. Denmark will return for the first time since 2019, replacing Kazakhstan who were immediately relegated back to Division I A after finishing last in 2025.

TeamQualification methodAppearance(s)Previous best performance
TotalFirstLastStreak
Flag of the United States.svg  United States First in 2025 50th 1977 2025 50Champions (2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2024, 2025)
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Second in 202550Champions (1987, 1998, 2014, 2016, 2019)
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia Third in 202550Champions (2000, 2001)
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Fourth in 202550Champions (1981, 2012)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada Fifth in 202550Champions (Twenty times) [a]
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia Sixth in 202531st 1996 31Third place (1999, 2015)
Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia Seventh in 202510th 2006 5Seventh place (2022, 2025)
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Eighth in 202539th 1978 17Third place (1998)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Ninth in 202532nd 1977 7Fifth place (1981)
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Champions of Division I A 8th 2008 2019 1Fifth place (2017)
  1. Canada have won in 1982, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2023.

Seeding

  1. 1 2 The organizer swapped Slovakia and Canada in the group alignments. [7]

Division I

Group A

The Division I, Group A tournament will take place in Bled, Slovenia between December 7–13, 2025.

Group B

The Division I, Group B tournament will take place in Milan, Italy between December 8–14, 2025.

Division II

Group A

The Division II, Group A tournament will take place in Bucharest, Romania between January 4–10, 2026.

Group B

The Division II, Group B tournament will take place in Belgrade, Serbia between January 18–24, 2026.

Division III

Group A

The Division III, Group A tournament will take place in Sofia, Bulgaria between January 19–25, 2026.

Group B

The Division III, Group B tournament will take place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan between January 18–24, 2026.

References

  1. "IIHF - Tournaments". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  2. "USA Hockey Selects Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to Host 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship". USA Hockey. January 5, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  3. "IIHF - Host State Information". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
  4. "Minneapolis-St. Paul to host 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship". ESPN.com. January 5, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  5. "IIHF - Grand Casino Arena". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
  6. "IIHF - 3M Arena at Mariucci". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2025-01-26.
  7. "Groups Set For 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship". usahockey.com. 7 March 2025.