IIHF confirms Russia out of 2027 World Juniors, Canada to remain host

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced on November 15 that Russia will not compete in the 2027 World Juniors tournament held in Canada, due to ongoing controversies surrounding Russia's potential return to international competition. The Canadian government had expressed its stance on the matter, imposing restrictions that prevented the Russian U20 national team from participating in the event.

Canada has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting the tournament, with games scheduled for December 26, 2026, through January 5, 2027, in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

The decision comes after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on October 30 that the IIHF must allow Russian teams to return to five international championships, including the World Juniors. This ruling ignited opposition from several national hockey federations, including Finland, Sweden, Czechia, and Norway. These countries declared they would not compete against Russia if it were to participate.

In response, Russia demanded that the IIHF either permit its team to compete or relocate the championship outside of Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously stated that Russian players would not be allowed to participate in the tournament, and Canadian authorities made it clear that Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials would be barred from entering the country.

The controversy also impacted Norway, whose hockey federation was informed on November 8 that its team would be relegated to a lower division to accommodate Russia. The IIHF has not yet clarified Norway's status following the latest decision. The organization stated that an updated competition schedule will be released shortly.