The IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC) is an annual ice hockey event for national under-20 teams, organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It is held from late December to early January and showcases the best young hockey talent from around the world. The main tournament features the top ten ranked nations, known as the 'Top Division,' where a world champion is crowned, while three lower divisions compete for promotion or relegation.
As of 2024, Canada has won the gold medal twenty times, and the tournament enjoys widespread media coverage and fan support. The United States is the reigning champion, defeating Sweden in the 2024 edition in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Related: List of most titles in IIHF World Junior Championship
List of IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship winner year by year
According to USA Hockey, The IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship has crowned champions annually since 1977, with Canada leading with 20 gold medals, followed by the Soviet Union/CIS/Russia with 13. Before being officially sponsored by IIHF, there were three unofficial tournaments in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
The tournament, featuring the top 10 national under-20 teams, also includes divisions for promotion and relegation. The USSR won the first four tournaments, while Canada achieved two streaks of five consecutive titles (1993–1997 and 2005–2009). As of 2024, 48 tournaments have been held, excluding the postponed 2022 event due to COVID-19.
As per USA Hockey, these are the IIHF World Junior Championship winners, as of 2024,
| Year - Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | U.S. Record | U.S. Finish |
| 2024 - Gothenburg, Sweden | United States | Sweden | Czechia | 6-1-0-0^ | Gold |
| 2023 - Moncton/Halifax, Canada | Canada | Czechia | United States | 4-1-0-2^ | Bronze |
| 2022 - Edmonton, Canada | Canada | Finland | Sweden | 4-0-0-1^ | 5th |
| 2021 - Edmonton, Canada | United States | Canada | Finland | 6-0-0-1^ | Gold |
| 2020 - Ostrava & Trinec, Czech Republic | Canada | Russia | Sweden | 2-1-0-2^ | 6th |
| 2019 - Vancouver & Victoria, Canada | Finland | United States | Russia | 5-0-1-1^ | Silver |
| 2018 - Buffalo, N.Y. | Canada | Sweden | United States | 4-1-0-2^ | Bronze |
| 2017 - Montreal and Toronto, Canada | United States | Canada | Russia | 5-2-0-0^ | Gold |
| 2016 - Helsinki, Finland | Finland | Russia | United States | 5-0-0-2^ | Bronze |
| 2015 - Montreal/Toronto, Canada | Canada | Russia | Slovakia | 2-1-0-2^ | 5th |
| 2014 - Malmo, Sweden | Finland | Sweden | Russia | 3-0-0-2^ | 5th |
| 2013 - Ufa, Russia | United States | Sweden | Russia | 5-0-0-2^ | Gold |
| 2012 - Calgary/Edmonton, Canada | Sweden | Russia | Canada | 3-0-0-3^ | 7th |
| 2011 - Buffalo/Niagara, N.Y. | Russia | Canada | United States | 5-0-0-1^ | Bronze |
| 2010 - Regina/Saskatoon, Canada | United States | Canada | Sweden | 5-1-1-0^ | Gold |
| 2009 - Ottawa, Canada | Canada | Sweden | Russia | 3-1-0-2^ | 5th |
| 2008 - Pardubice/Liberec, Czech Republic | Canada | Sweden | Russia | 4-0-0-2^ | 4th |
| 2007 - Leksand/Mora, Sweden | Canada | Russia | United States | 3-1-2-1^ | Bronze |
| 2006 - Kamloops/Kelowna/Vancouver, Canada | Canada | Russia | Finland | 3-3-1 | 4th |
| 2005 - Grand Forks, N.D./Thief River Falls, Minn. | Canada | Russia | Czech Republic | 3-4-0 | 4th |
| 2004 - Helsinki/Hameenlinna, Finland | United States | Canada | Finland | 6-0-0 | Gold |
| 2003 - Halifax/Sydney, Canada | Russia | Canada | Finland | 4-3-0 | 4th |
| 2002 - Pardubice/Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic | Russia | Canada | Finland | 4-1-2 | 5th |
| 2001 - Moscow/Podolsk, Russia | Czech Republic | Finland | Canada | 5-2-0 | 5th |
| 2000 - Skelleftea/Umea, Sweden | Czech Republic | Russia | Canada | 2-3-2 | 4th |
| 1999 - Winnipeg, Canada | Russia | Canada | Slovakia | 3-3-0 | 8th |
| 1998 - Helsinki/Hameenlinna, Finland | Finland | Russia | Switzerland | 4-3-0 | 5th |
| 1997 - Geneva/Morges, Switzerland | Canada | United States | Russia | 4-1-1 | Silver |
| 1996 - Boston, Mass. | Canada | Sweden | Russia | 3-3-0 | 5th |
| 1995 - Red Deer, Canada | Canada | Russia | Sweden | 3-4-0 | 5th |
| 1994 - Ostrava/Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic | Canada | Sweden | Russia | 1-5-1 | 6th |
| 1993 - Gavle/Fulun, Sweden | Canada | Sweden | Czechoslovakia | 4-3-0 | 4th |
| 1992 - Fussen/Kaufbeuren, Germany | CIS | Sweden | United States | 5-2-0 | Bronze |
| 1991 - Saskatoon, Canada | Canada | Soviet Union | Czechoslovakia | 4-2-1 | 4th |
| 1990 - Helsinki/Turku, Finland | Canada | Soviet Union | Czechoslovakia | 1-6-0 | 7th |
| 1989 - Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Soviet Union | Sweden | Czechoslovakia | 3-3-1 | 5th |
| 1988 - Moscow, Soviet Union | Canada | Soviet Union | Finland | 1-6-0 | 6th |
| 1987 - Piestany, Czechoslovakia | Finland | Czechoslovakia | Sweden | 4-3-0 | 4th |
| 1986 - Hamilton, Canada | Soviet Union | Canada | United States | 4-3-0 | Bronze |
| 1985 - Helsinki/Turku, Finland | Canada | Czechoslovakia | Soviet Union | 2-5-0 | 6th |
| 1984 - Nykoping, Sweden | Soviet Union | Finland | Czechoslovakia | 2-5-0 | 6th |
| 1983 - Leningrad, Soviet Union | Soviet Union | Czechoslovakia | Canada | 3-4-0 | 5th |
| 1982 - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. | Canada | Czechoslovakia | Finland | 2-5-0 | 6th |
| 1981 - Fussen/Augsburg, Germany | Sweden | Finland | Soviet Union | 2-3-0 | 6th |
| 1980 - Helsinki, Finland | Soviet Union | Finland | Sweden | 1-3-1 | 7th |
| 1979 - Karlstad, Sweden | Soviet Union | Czechoslovakia | Sweden | 2-3-0 | 6th |
| 1978 - Montreal, Canada | Soviet Union | Sweden | Canada | 4-2-0 | 5th |
| 1977 - Bystrica-Zvolen, Czechoslovakia | Soviet Union | Canada | Czechoslovakia | 1-5-1 | 7th |
| 1976* - Tampere, Finland | Soviet Union | Canada | Czechoslovakia | DNP | -- |
| 1975* - U.S./Canada | Soviet Union | Canada | Sweden | 0-5-0 | 6th |
| 1974* - Leningrad, Soviet Union | Soviet Union | Finland | Canada | 1-4-0 | 5th |
Read More: List of IIHF World Junior Championship Host Country Year by Year
FAQs on IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship
A. The first season was in 1974 (unofficial) and became an officially sponsored tournament by IIHF in 1977.
A. 10 teams participate in the IIHF World Junior Championship tournament.
A. The United States is the reigning champion. They won their 6th title in 2024.
A. Canada holds the most titles, with 20 championships.
A. The tournament will take place from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
