The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced on Tuesday that Russia will be excluded from most of its flagship events in the 2026‑27 season, a move that will keep the nation’s men’s and women’s national teams, as well as its junior squad, out of the World Championships and the World Junior Championship.
Why the IIHF made this decision
In a statement released after a lengthy consultation with member federations, the IIHF cited safety concerns, security risks, operational challenges and the need to preserve the integrity of competition as the primary drivers behind the ruling.
The next major IIHF‑sanctioned competition will be the 2027 World Junior Championship, scheduled to take place in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, in early August. The decision to host the event in Canada underscores the federation’s willingness to relocate events when safety considerations dictate.
Belarus’s limited role
While Russia faces a blanket ban, neighboring Belarus will be permitted to enter a limited number of tournaments, though it will be barred from the men’s senior World Championship and the World Junior Championship, a compromise that reflects the IIHF’s nuanced approach to geopolitical complications.
Later in the year, the senior men’s World Championship will be staged in Düsseldorf and Mannheim, Germany, from May 14 to May 30, 2027, offering a showcase for European hockey without Russian participation.
The ripple effects of the IIHF’s decision are already being felt in the National Hockey League, where several Washington Capitals players face uncertainty about international commitments. Veteran captain Alex Ovechkin, forward Ivan Miroshnichenko, defenseman Bogdan Trineyev, and the Protas twins — Aliaksei and Ilya — are among those whose national team plans have been disrupted.
General manager Brian MacLellan confirmed that the Capitals are cooperating with the IIHF and the affected players to navigate the new landscape, but emphasized that the club’s focus remains on the upcoming NHL season.