Hockey’s world body delays its Russia decision as six nations say they will not face Russia at the 2027 Worlds in Germany

The International Ice Hockey Federation has put off deciding how Russia returns to its tournaments, after a wave of national federations said they would refuse to play Russian teams and the host of next year’s men’s world championship, Germany, raised the possibility of giving the event back. IIHF President Franz Reindl told the German sports agency SID that the Council would continue its meeting on Thursday, Nov. 5, according to Swiss broadcaster SRF. The IIHF Council met on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2 and 3, to discuss putting the ruling into practice, SRF reported, and SRF wrote that the federation apparently had not expected so forceful a reaction.

The dispute stems from an Oct. 30 ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that the IIHF must allow Russian national teams of all age groups back into its competitions, including the 2027 men’s world championship in Düsseldorf, Mannheim and Gelsenkirchen, according to The Independent and DW. The IIHF had barred Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and it had cited security concerns; CAS found those concerns “not supported by sufficient evidence,” The Independent reported, and the court did not require a neutrality regime, so Russian teams could play under their own flag. In a statement dated Nov. 4, the IIHF said it “maintains its disagreement” with the decision, listed visa and entry, security, logistics and competition formats among the practical problems, said the decision’s impact got “significantly underestimated,” and added: “More information will be shared in the coming days.” Reindl, a German elected IIHF president last month, told DW: “Our task now is to implement this ruling responsibly.”

Finland moved first. Finnish federation president Heikki Hietanen called the ruling “incomprehensible,” according to DW, and said: “We are currently working to bring as many countries as possible into a united front to tell the IIHF that none of us will play against Russia under these circumstances.” By the end of Tuesday, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and the Czech Republic had joined, according to Euronews and SRF. “The Three Crowns will not play Russia in coming world championship tournaments,” Swedish federation chairman Anders Larsson said, according to DW; Sweden would still take part in its other games, according to The Independent. Denmark’s federation said it would, “based on the current situation and the information available to us today,” not play Russia at the May 2027 tournament in Germany, DW reported. Latvian law forbids its teams from competing against Russia, according to The Independent. Euronews reported that Austria has considered joining the group and that USA Hockey had not responded to its questions.

Accounts of the bloc differ in the details. Euronews and DW describe Norway as refusing to play Russia, while The Independent wrote that Norway “would not participate.” RBC-Ukraine counted five refusing federations and listed Czechia, together with Germany and Austria, among countries that “expressed support,” while Euronews and SRF count Czechia among the six. Governments added pressure: Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen plans to seek Schengen-wide restrictions on Russian athletes, and Czech Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said the Czech short-term visa ban on Russians stays in force, according to Euronews.

In Germany, the host federation has started weighing a pullout. “I do not want to paint a black picture. I do not want to call the World Championship into question either. But of course, we at the DEB also have to consider the option of handing back this championship,” DEB chief Frank H. Lutz said on the broadcaster MagentaTV, in a translation published by DW; ZDF carried the German original. Lutz cited money: the federation cannot take on an economic risk it can no longer carry, he said, according to ZDF, and security in particular would bring entirely new costs (in German, “ganz neue Kosten”). In its Oct. 30 statement, the DEB said its position remained unchanged and that it rejects Russia’s return, and Lutz said, according to Euronews, that allowing Russia to take part would have “serious consequences for us as the host country in terms of security, as well as politically and economically.” A German government spokesman said Berlin takes “a very critical view” of the ruling and will discuss possible consequences with the DEB, DW reported, and SRF reported that Lutz traveled to Berlin for talks with officials this week.

Sponsors have voiced unease too. Swedish office furniture company AJ Products, which has backed the championship since 1989, said it would ask that its logo not appear if Russia takes part, according to Euronews, while The Independent reported that the company said it would no longer sponsor next May’s edition; this desk could not reconcile the two accounts. Finnish tire maker Nokian Tyres said continuing its sponsorship with Russia taking part “would contradict our values,” Euronews reported. Skoda, the main sponsor of the men’s world championships, said it would reconsider its sponsorship of the 2027 event if Russia gets admitted and said it could not identify with the CAS decision, SRF reported.

Canada has ruled Russia out of its own event. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russia would not take part in the world junior championship, which runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, SRF and Euronews reported, after the Canadian government had said it would not issue visas. In a clip posted on X, Carney said: “Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal and unjustified horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that's going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada.” Canada’s secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, said it would “maintain restrictions” on Russian athletes entering the country, according to The Independent. In Finland, the city of Turku has threatened to pull out of hosting the 2028 world juniors, according to The Independent. The women’s world championship under way in Denmark this week goes ahead without Russia, according to Euronews.

Reactions from Brussels, Kyiv and Moscow split along familiar lines. “Sport should not serve as a tool of propaganda,” European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova said, according to Euronews. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote, “By letting Russian hockey back, CAS is staining the ice with Ukrainian blood,” Euronews reported; Ukraine qualified for the top-division world championship for the first time in 20 years, according to The Independent. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev welcomed the ruling, telling the state television channel Vesti that “Russia is returning to world hockey,” according to DW. The IIHF has promised more details in the coming days; this desk will follow Thursday’s Council session and any decision on Germany’s hosting.