World Ice Hockey Championship 2026. Preview, prediction, and main favorites

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship will be one of the main sporting events of the season for national teams and fans around the world. The tournament will take place from May 15 to 31 in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Fribourg, where the world's best national teams will once again compete for the main trophy of international hockey. This article covers everything about the 2026 World Championship: match schedule, tournament favorites, main stars of the teams, team line-ups, and predictions ahead of the start of the World Championship.

Format of the Ice Hockey World Championship

The World Championship traditionally consists of two stages: the group stage and the playoffs. 16 teams, divided into two groups of eight, will each play seven games. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals at the end of this stage, while the worst team in each group will be relegated to the Division IA. Three points are awarded for a win in regulation time, two points for a win in overtime or shootout, one point for a loss beyond regulation time, and zero points for a loss in regulation time.

In the event of a tie in the group round, a five-minute overtime in 3x3 format is appointed, followed by a shootout series of five shots from each side.

In the ¼ finals, the best team from Group A will meet the fourth team from Group B, the second team from Group A will meet the third team from Group B, the second team from Group B will meet the third team from Group A, and the best team from Group B will meet the fourth team from Group A. In the ½ finals, the winners of the quarterfinal matches will play, and in the final – the best teams of the semifinals. In the playoff games, the overtime will last ten minutes, followed by a shootout series.

List of participants in the Ice Hockey World Championship

In 2026, 16 teams will participate in the tournament. The following teams will compete in Group A:

• Switzerland
• USA
• Finland
• Germany
• Latvia
• Austria
• Hungary
• Great Britain

The following teams will compete in Group B:

• Canada
• Sweden
• Czech Republic
• Slovakia
• Denmark
• Norway
• Slovenia
• Italy

World Hockey Championship Match Schedule

The World Championship kicks off on May 15 with the matches Finland vs Germany and Canada vs Sweden. On the same day, Denmark, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and the USA will also compete in the tournament. The full schedule for the 2026 World Championship can be found in the relevant section on the Scores24 website.

Main Stars of the 2026 World Hockey Championship

After the Olympic Games, it's unusual not to see dozens of familiar names on the team rosters, but even with the National Hockey League playoffs ongoing, North American and European teams have brought world-class stars to the World Championship.

Sidney Crosby

The hockey legend will attend the World Championship for the fourth time in his career. His goal is to replicate the success of 2015. Crosby missed a significant part of the season after the Olympics due to an injury, which apparently left a bitter aftertaste, prompting the Pittsburgh Penguins forward to return to Central Europe. His season stats are 74 (29+45) points in the regular NHL season and 5 (1+4) in the Stanley Cup.

Maclin Celebrini

Another star of the Canadian team is 19-year-old "shark" Maclin Celebrini. The forward of the San Jose Sharks had a mixed season: on one hand, he surpassed the 100-point mark in the NHL regular season, on the other hand, he missed the playoffs. On one hand, he put on a brilliant performance in Milan alongside Connor McDavid, on the other hand, he missed out on an Olympic gold medal. Celebrini is clearly coming to his second consecutive World Championship to end the season on a high note. His season stats are 115 (45+70) points in the regular NHL season.

Mikko Rantanen

The main scoring force of the Dallas Stars, was probably supposed to miss this World Championship. However, the early exit of the Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup did not end the season for the Finn, but forced him to join the Finnish national team. Rantanen performed well at the Olympics (2+4 in five matches) and in the NHL (23+61 in 70 matches).

Leon Draisaitl

The appearance of the German forward at the World Championship was expected. Edmonton Oilers ended the season early, so Draisaitl will play in the World Championship for the first time in seven years. The forward shone at the Olympics (2+5 in five matches) and, as usual, surpassed the hundred-point mark in the NHL (38+69 in 71 matches).

Roman Josi

The defender won silver medals with the Swiss team two years ago. But for the Nashville Predators player, there is a great opportunity to become a world champion for the first time in the country's history. It can be said that for the generation of Josi, Genoni, and Niederreiter, the home World Championship is the last chance for the "gold" of the World Championship. Josi had his stable season with 50+ points (13+42) in the NHL and added 2+2 at the Olympics.

Favorites of the 2026 World Championship

Canada

Canada will return to Europe with the intention of gold. It cannot be otherwise when your team is again assembled with top stars from different generations. The Canadians have not had such a powerful lineup at the World Championships for a long time. But the big question is whether the Maples will be able to rehabilitate for the failure in the final of the Olympic Games and the failure at the last World Championship.

Best result: 1st place (28 times in history, the last – in 2023)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 5th place

Head coach: Misha Donskov

Leaders: Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins, world hockey legend), Maclin Celebrini (San Jose Sharks, the main young star of the NHL) and Evan Bouchard (Edmonton Oilers, one of the most productive defenders of the season)

Odds to win: 2.30*

Finland

The Finnish team frankly failed the last three tournaments: it is unforgivable for a team with NHL stars and the Finnish Premier League not to reach the semifinal stage for three years in a row. Because of failures at the group stage (including losses from Austria and loss of points with France), the Scandinavians faced a top opponent in the first round of the playoffs and were eliminated. But after the bronze of the 2026 Olympics, the Finns intend to finally return to the top three at the World Championship.

Best result: 1st place (1995, 2011, 2019, 2022)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 7th place

Head coach: Antti Pennanen

Leaders: Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers, did not play in the NHL season due to injury, but he is still the main star for Finland), Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars, the main in attack) and Joonas Korpisalo (Boston Bruins, reliable goaltender)

Odds to win: 6.00*

Switzerland

DespiteDespite the presence of formidable opponents both in the group and in the tournament, bookmakers consider Switzerland the third favorite (after Canada and Finland) to reach the World Championship final. Switzerland is playing at home, and it reached the decisive game in the last two championships, which explains the odds.

Best result: 2nd place (1935, 2013, 2018, 2024, 2025)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 2nd place

Head coach: Jan Cadieux

Leaders: Roman Josi (Nashville Predators, the leader and face of Swiss hockey), Nico Hischier (New Jersey Devils, versatile forward) and Timo Meier (New Jersey Devils, main offensive threat)

Odds to win: 6.00*

Sweden

Hallam brings an experimental squad to Switzerland. Unlike other favorites, the roster includes only ten NHL players. However, there are nine players from the Swedish Elite League. By name, the Scandinavians don't even make it into the top 5 favorites, but the team's understanding of the head coach's requirements and playing style could take them at least to the semi-finals.

Best result: 1st place (11 times in history, the last one in 2018)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 3rd place

Head coach: Sam Hallam

Leaders: Lucas Raymond (Detroit Red Wings, the most prominent name in the current Swedish team), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Toronto Maple Leafs, defensive leader) and Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks, contender for the best goalkeeper of the tournament)

Odds to win: 7.00*

USA

The United States team will defend their World Championship title – the first since 1960. Last year, the Americans steamrolled almost all their opponents, only losing to Switzerland in the group stage. But the Stars and Stripes took their revenge in the final. The average scoring of the USA at last year's World Championship was 4.4 goals in regular time with only 1.8 conceded.

Best result: 1st place (1933, 1960, 2025)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 1st place

Head coach: Don Granato

Leaders: Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers, the most high-profile player in the team), Ryan Leonard (top prospect of Washington Capitals) and Oliver Moore (Chicago Blackhawks, one of the leaders in high-speed play)

Odds to win: 7.50*

Czech Republic

If we mentioned the emphasis on players in the description of the Swedish team,of the national championship, Radim Rulik in the Czech Republic has deliberately refused to invite all the stars of Czech hockey from the NHL. In the application – only two hockey players from the best league in the world. The Czechs chose a combination of experience (Cervenka, Kempny, Sedlak) and youth (five players under 22). There is a feeling that even reaching the semi-finals will be a huge success for the Czech team.

Best result: 1st place (13 times in history, the last one - in 2024)

Result at the 2025 World Championship: 6th place

Head coach: Radim Rulik

Leaders: Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks, the main name in the Czech team for the upcoming tournament), Roman Cervenka (Dynamo Pardubice, the most experienced at the World Championship) and Michal Kempny (Brynas, defensive stronghold)

Odds to win: 11.00*

*Odds are approximate, may vary in different bookmaker offices and are current at the time of publication

May surprise at the World Championship

This list includes six teams for whom reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament will simultaneously be an important achievement and a minimum task. Particularly noteworthy are the teams of Slovakia (twice won World Championship medals), Germany (failed in last year's tournament) and Latvia (bookmakers greatly underestimate the capabilities of Harijs Vitolinsh's team). For Austria, Norway and Denmark, getting out of the group will be a great success.

Will fight for survival

This list is much simpler – two teams in each group will fight for the right to stay in the top division next year. The rivalry between Slovenia and Italy looks more interesting – the teams are capable of scoring points not only in the head-to-head match, but also in games against slightly more experienced opponents – Denmark and Norway. In this case, the fate of relegation from the elite division may be decided even before the head-to-head meeting at the finish of the group stage.

The lot of Hungary and Great Britain is to score points in the head-to-head confrontation on May 19. The teams are not reaching for the stars, although British hockey players, thanks to the progress of the Elite League, are increasingly putting up a fight even against top teams in official and friendly matches. But last year Hungary pulled together for the only important match with Kazakhstan (4:2) and for the first time in history stayed in the top division for two years.

What the Bookmakers Think

Below are the odds for the championship of national teams. According to the bookmakers, the top three favorites are Canada, Finland, and Switzerland. The most likely final, according to the bookies, will be between the Canadians and the Finns (odds 4.50).

Best bets for the 2026 World Hockey Championship matches

USA – the most productive team of the group stage for 5.50*

Bookmakers obviously underestimate the United States' style of fast, dynamic hockey with quality performers, offering an inflated coefficient based on their productivity. It's worth noting that the Americans are set to play against the United Kingdom and Hungary, against whom the USA has averaged 5.4 goals per match. The encounters with the Latvians (five games in a row with at least three goals) and Austrians (at least four goals in 4 out of the last 5 meetings) are also going well.

The North Americans have already scored at least 33 goals in the group stage of the World Championship three times in a row: in 2023 and 2024, the Stars and Stripes were the most productive at the preliminary stage, and in 2025 they were just one goal short of this status. Let's take advantage of the bookmakers' oversight and catch a high coefficient on the current world and Olympic champions.

Latvia will make it to the playoffs for 3.55*

Another high coefficient based on the undervaluation of the Latvians. Yes, the team has a tough group. But it's worth noting that Latvia is an organized team that has missed out on the playoffs in recent tournaments by just one victory or even a point. The team needs to learn from this and not lose points against the United Kingdom and Hungary, while putting up a fight against Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

Under total in Finland's matches

Finland will become a very dangerous team in closed matches. Structural play and high discipline increase the passability of "low" meetings. No more than six goals were scored in 6 out of 7 of Finland's matches at the last World Championship, no more than five – in 4 out of 6 at the 2026 Olympic Games. To start, you can consider the option with under 5.5 goals in the game against Germany for 1.60*. More useful trends for preparing a strategy for World Championship matches can be found in the Hockey Trends section.

Victory for the United Kingdom in matches with a handicap (+3.5)

Despite being clear outsiders of the World Championship, the Brits, unlike Hungary, do not become punching bags for more famous teams. In 8 out of the last 9 top-division World Championship meetings, the United Kingdom has not lost by more than three goals. It would be optimal to consider such a bet in games against the USA, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, and Latvia. For the opening match with Austrians bookmakers are offering only 1.23*.

Canada won't become the champion for 1.55*

After returning from Milan with Olympic silver, the Canadians were immediately elevated to the rank of undisputed favorites of the World Championship. The gap between Canada's chances (43%) and those of other teams for the World Championship gold medals is even a bit frightening. The team brings Crosby, Celebrini, O'Reilly, Tavares, Bouchard, Scheifele, and others, but short-term tournaments are often won not by names, but by the preparation system. Moreover, after failing to win the Olympics in the same year, Canada did not win the World Championship in 4 out of 4 cases, and in 3 out of 4 cases, it did not even play in the final. Bookmakers greatly overestimate the chances of Canadians for the championship. Let's try to take advantage of this.

Czech Republic won't reach the ½ finals for 1.72*

Radim Rulik has assembled a team that is 70% made up of players from the Czech Extraliga. While there is no doubt about the Czechs' progress to the playoffs (possibly even from the second position, as Sweden's lineup is not that impressive either), there is a high probability of encountering one of the trio USA / Finland / Switzerland in the ¼ finals. None of the choices promise success – the Czechs have not been able to beat the Swiss in three consecutive games, the Americans – in two out of three, the Finns – in half of the games over the past year. The homegrown team will be limited to the quarterfinal stage.

Scores 24 editorial forecast

Let's move on to the main choice of our editorial team for the tournament. The hosting side always has a special way of conducting the World Championship – for four years in a row, the hosts reach the place in the world's strongest quartet. Considering that Switzerland has been taking silver medals at the World Championship for two years in a row, the optimal choice seems to be a bet on a structured team that will play with the support of its fans. Three months ago, the games of the Swiss team gathered a full house in neighboring Italy. Switzerland was a minute short of reaching the semi-finals in Milan. It will be even more interesting at home. The main forecast of Scores24 – Switzerland will reach the ½ finals of the World Championship with odds of 1.80*.

How to bet on the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship matches

The Ice Hockey World Championship is one of the most difficult tournaments to predict. Unlike the long season in club hockey, here everything is decided by a short distance, lineups, motivation, and form of the day. That's why it's especially important at the World Championship to consider not only the team's star power, but also its structure, goalkeeper, and tournament context.

The main trend of recent years – teams with strong game organization and a reliable goalkeeper perform most successfully at the World Championships. Therefore, teams like Finland, Switzerland, or the USA often appear more stable than the more "star-studded" but less balanced squads.

Here's a quick guide on what to consider when choosing match predictions:

• Lineups and the presence of NHL stars. At the World Championship, lineups can change literally during the tournament. After NHL clubs are eliminated, top players often join national teams, capable of dramatically changing the team's strength.
• Goalkeeping line. For short-term tournaments, this is perhaps the main factor of success. A playoff match goalkeeper like Joonas Korpisalo or Arvid Söderblom can almost single-handedly win a game.
• Tournament motivation. At the group stage, the motivation of top teams can vary. Often, favorites (USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland) play in energy-saving mode due to a tight schedule (every day or every other day) and conditioning. Underdogs (Latvia, Germany, Austria) and outsiders (Great Britain, Italy, Slovenia), on the other hand, enter each game aiming to score vitally important points.Your text does not contain any content to translate. Please provide a text for translation.