IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship schedule

The IIHF World Junior Championship is an annual tournament for under-20 ice hockey teams, organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It traditionally runs from late December to early January and features the best young players from around the globe. The top ten ranked nations compete in the 'Top Division' to crown a world champion, while other divisions play for promotion or to avoid relegation.

As of 2024, Canada has won the gold medal 20 times. Most tournaments are held in Canadian cities, but some are hosted in Europe and the United States. The United States won the 2024 tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden, defeating Sweden 6-2 in the final.

IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship schedule

According to the official website of the NHL, the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship will be held in Ottawa from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025. The defending champions, the United States, will face Germany on the opening day. Canada, in Group A alongside the U.S., Finland, Latvia, and Germany, starts its campaign against Finland on December 26.

Group B includes Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Kazakhstan. Standout fixtures include the U.S.-Canada matchup at the Canadian Tire Centre on New Year’s Eve. The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals on January 2, with the semifinals on January 4 and the final on January 5.

IIHF World Junior Championship future locations

According to the IIHF's official website, the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship will be hosted in Minnesota, USA, from December 26, 2025, to January 5, 2026. The games will take place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul and the 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. This marks the seventh time the U.S. is hosting the event, with previous locations including Minneapolis/Saint Paul in 1982, Anchorage in 1989, Boston in 1996, Grand Forks in 2005, and Buffalo in 2011 and 2018. The ticket packages for the championship will be on sale starting December 26, 2024.

IIHF World Juniors eligibility

According to the IIHF's official website, for the IIHF World Juniors, players must be citizens of the country they represent. They must be under the jurisdiction of an IIHF member national association.

Two-Year Rule: If a player changes their citizenship and wishes to represent their new country, they must prove participation in at least two consecutive seasons and 16 months in the national competitions of their new country after their 10th birthday.

Four-Year Rule: If a player has previously represented one country in an IIHF competition and wishes to switch to another, they must have participated for at least four years in their new country's national competitions and not represented their previous country during this period.

IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship broadcasting

According to Hockey Canada, the World Junior Hockey Championship games will be broadcast on major sports networks like TSN in Canada and the NHL Network in the United States. These networks provide live coverage, pre-game analysis, and post-game highlights for all tournament matches. Streaming options may also be available through the networks' apps or websites.