Five Countries Have Refused To Play Against Russia At The 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship

3.11.2026, 19:10
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The Russian team was allowed to participate in the tournament in late October.

The national ice hockey teams of Denmark, Latvia, Norway, Finland, and Sweden have declined to participate on upcoming World Championship against the Russian national team, which the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is required to admit to the tournament following a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. This was reported on Tuesday, November 3, by DW on Tuesday, November 3, citing Reuters.

“Based on the current situation and the information available as of today, Norway will not play against Russia at the World Championship, which will take place in Germany in May 2027. The remaining group matches will take place as scheduled,” according to a statement from the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation. The organization believes that “Russia should be barred from participating in all international championships as long as the war in Ukraine continues.”

The Swedish Ice Hockey Association also announced its refusal to play against Russia, noting that it had agreed with “a number of other countries” to announce the decision jointly. The Latvian Ice Hockey Federation also stated that in recent days it had been working to develop a unified position “in close cooperation” with representatives from Finland, Norway, and Denmark.

CAS ruled to allow five Russian national teams to participate in international championships during the 2026–2027 season, granting one of the appeals filed by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) late last week. The IIHF pledged to comply with this decision but stated that it was disappointed by it and considers the suspension a necessary measure to “ensure the safety of participants and preserve the integrity and fairness of the competitions.”

The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) also expressed dissatisfaction with the CAS decision. “Our position remains unchanged: we oppose the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments. <�…> This decision radically changes the situation regarding the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship in Germany. Allowing Russia to participate would have significant security, political, and economic consequences for us as the host nation,” reads a statement from DEB Chairman Frank Lutz.

The 2027 World Hockey Championship will take place from May 14 to 30 at arenas in Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen, and Mannheim. Two groups of participants, each consisting of eight national teams, were formed in the spring of 2026 without Russia and Belarus. The full game schedule was also approved, and ticket sales for the matches began in October. If Russia is admitted, organizers will likely have to exclude the lowest-ranked team—the Ukrainian national team, which qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2007—according to media reports.

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