IIHF Announces 2027 Men's World Championship Groups
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has released the draw for the 2027 men’s world championship, confirming that Russia will not feature in either of the two eight‑team groups. The decision follows the federation’s long‑standing exclusion of Russian teams since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a stance that also kept Russian clubs out of the most recent Olympic hockey tournament.
The host nation, Germany, has been placed in a group alongside Sweden and the defending champion Finland. Ukraine, returning to the top tier of IIHF competition for the first time in two decades, shares that same group, adding a compelling storyline to the tournament.
Meanwhile, the United States and Canada have been assigned to Düsseldorf as their base of operations for the May 2027 event, a city that will host several of the competition’s matches and serve as a hub for North American teams.
Implications for the Tournament
The new grouping sets up a competitive mix of established powers and emerging teams. Germany’s hosts will face a strong Swedish and Finnish side, while Ukraine’s return adds a fresh narrative to the event. The United States and Canada, based in Düsseldorf, are expected to bring their usual depth and talent to the competition.
Russia’s omission marks the sixth straight year the country has been barred from the senior men’s event. Although the Russian Hockey Federation secured a temporary reversal of an IIHF policy that would have barred its teams for the 2026‑27 season, the appeal did not alter the composition of the 2027 draw.
The IIHF has said that any future participation will be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis, but it has not provided a detailed rationale for how the policy was applied to the upcoming championship, leaving many questions unanswered.