2026 IIHF Hockey World Championship: Complete Schedule, Teams and Dates

The 2026 IIHF World Championship is set to bring another exciting chapter of international hockey action as the world’s top national teams battle for gold in Switzerland. The tournament will run from May 15 to May 31, 2026, with games taking place in the Swiss host cities of Zurich and Fribourg. Organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the championship will feature 16 elite teams competing across two groups before the knockout rounds begin.

Hockey fans around the world are eagerly waiting for this prestigious event, which promises high-intensity rivalries, packed arenas, and thrilling matchups between some of the strongest hockey nations on the planet.

2026 IIHF World Championship Tournament Details

Tournament Details	Information
Host Country	Switzerland
Host Cities	Zurich and Fribourg
Dates	May 15 – May 31, 2026
Total Teams	16
Venues	2
Organizer	International Ice Hockey Federation

The tournament was officially awarded to Switzerland on May 27, 2022, during the IIHF Congress held in Tampere, Finland.

IIHF Hockey World Championship 2026 Schedule (ET)

Friday, May 15

Game	Time (ET)
Finland vs. Germany	10:20 a.m.
Canada vs. Sweden	10:20 a.m.
USA vs. Switzerland	2:20 p.m.
Czechia vs. Denmark	2:20 p.m.

Saturday, May 16

Game	Time (ET)
Great Britain vs. Austria	6:20 a.m.
Slovakia vs. Norway	6:20 a.m.
Hungary vs. Finland	10:20 a.m.
Italy vs. Canada	10:20 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Latvia	2:20 p.m.
Slovenia vs. Czechia	2:20 p.m.

Sunday, May 17

Game	Time (ET)
USA vs. Great Britain	6:20 a.m.
Italy vs. Slovakia	6:20 a.m.
Austria vs. Hungary	10:20 a.m.
Denmark vs. Sweden	10:20 a.m.
Germany vs. Latvia	2:20 p.m.
Norway vs. Slovenia	2:20 p.m.

Monday, May 18

Game	Time (ET)
USA vs. Finland	10:20 a.m.
Canada vs. Denmark	10:20 a.m.
Germany vs. Switzerland	2:20 p.m.
Sweden vs. Czechia	2:20 p.m.

Tuesday, May 19

Game	Time (ET)
Latvia vs. Austria	10:20 a.m.
Italy vs. Norway	10:20 a.m.
Hungary vs. Great Britain	2:20 p.m.
Slovenia vs. Slovakia	2:20 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20

Game	Time (ET)
Austria vs. Switzerland	10:20 a.m.
Czechia vs. Italy	10:20 a.m.
USA vs. Germany	2:20 p.m.
Sweden vs. Slovenia	2:20 p.m.

Thursday, May 21

Game	Time (ET)
Latvia vs. Finland	10:20 a.m.
Canada vs. Norway	10:20 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Great Britain	2:20 p.m.
Denmark vs. Slovakia	2:20 p.m.

Friday, May 22

Game	Time (ET)
Germany vs. Hungary	10:20 a.m.
Canada vs. Slovenia	10:20 a.m.
Finland vs. Great Britain	2:20 p.m.
Sweden vs. Italy	2:20 p.m.

Saturday, May 23

Game	Time (ET)
USA vs. Latvia	6:20 a.m.
Denmark vs. Slovenia	6:20 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Hungary	10:20 a.m.
Slovakia vs. Czechia	10:20 a.m.
Austria vs. Germany	2:20 p.m.
Norway vs. Sweden	2:20 p.m.

Sunday, May 24

Game	Time (ET)
Great Britain vs. Latvia	10:20 a.m.
Denmark vs. Italy	10:20 a.m.
Finland vs. Austria	2:20 p.m.
Canada vs. Slovakia	2:20 p.m.

Monday, May 25

Game	Time (ET)
USA vs. Hungary	10:20 a.m.
Czechia vs. Norway	10:20 a.m.
Germany vs. Great Britain	2:20 p.m.
Slovenia vs. Italy	2:20 p.m.

Tuesday, May 26

Game	Time (ET)
Hungary vs. Latvia	6:20 a.m.
Norway vs. Denmark	6:20 a.m.
USA vs. Austria	10:20 a.m.
Sweden vs. Slovakia	10:20 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Finland	2:20 p.m.
Canada vs. Czechia	2:20 p.m.

Thursday, May 28 – Quarterfinals

Game	Time (ET)
Quarterfinal 1	10:20 a.m.
Quarterfinal 2	10:20 a.m.
Quarterfinal 3	2:20 p.m.
Quarterfinal 4	2:20 p.m.

Saturday, May 30 – Semifinals

Game	Time (ET)
Semifinal 1	9:20 a.m.
Semifinal 2	2:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 31 – Medal Games

Game	Time (ET)
Bronze Medal Game	9:30 a.m.
Championship Game	2:20 p.m.

Group A Teams – Zurich

Group A will be hosted in Zurich and includes several powerhouse hockey nations.

Team
United States
Switzerland
Finland
Germany
Latvia
Austria
Hungary
Great Britain

Group B Teams – Fribourg

Fribourg will host Group B action featuring several medal contenders.

Team
Canada
Sweden
Czechia
Denmark
Slovakia
Norway
Slovenia
Italy

Opening Day Schedule – Friday, May 15

The opening day features four blockbuster games, including a massive showdown between Canada and Sweden.

Match	Time (ET)	Watch
Finland vs. Germany	10:20 a.m.	TSN5, TSN.ca
Canada vs. Sweden	10:20 a.m.	TSN1, TSN.ca
USA vs. Switzerland	2:20 p.m.	TSN5, TSN.ca
Czechia vs. Denmark	2:20 p.m.	TSN1, TSN.ca

Key Games to Watch in the Group Stage

Several marquee matchups are already generating huge excitement among hockey fans.

• Canada vs. Sweden – May 15
• USA vs. Finland – May 18
• Sweden vs. Czechia – May 18
• Switzerland vs. Finland – May 26
• Canada vs. Czechia – May 26

These games could play a major role in determining playoff seedings and momentum entering the knockout rounds.

2026 IIHF World Championship Playoff Schedule

After the completion of the group stage, the top teams will advance to the quarterfinals.

Quarterfinals – Thursday, May 28

• Four games
• Start times: 10:20 a.m. ET and 2:20 p.m. ET

Semifinals – Saturday, May 30

• Semifinal 1 – 9:20 a.m. ET
• Semifinal 2 – 2:00 p.m. ET

Medal Games – Sunday, May 31

• Bronze Medal Game – 9:30 a.m. ET
• Championship Final – 2:20 p.m. ET

Final Thoughts

The 2026 IIHF World Championship is shaping up to be one of the biggest international hockey tournaments of the year. With legendary hockey nations like Canada, Sweden, Finland, the United States, and Czechia competing for the gold medal, fans can expect world-class action from start to finish.

Switzerland’s modern arenas, passionate hockey atmosphere, and strong organizational experience should provide the perfect stage for an unforgettable tournament. As the countdown to May 2026 continues, hockey supporters across the globe are already preparing for another thrilling edition of the IIHF World Championship.