Nordic nations refuse to face Russia in ice hockey World Championship

What the report says

Nordic ice hockey federations are refusing to play Russia at the 2027 IIHF World Championships, escalating pressure on the sport’s governing bodies after a recent arbitration ruling cleared Russia to return. Al Jazeera reported that Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland have all said they would not face Russian teams while the war in Ukraine continues.

Norway’s federation said it will not compete against Russia in the tournament, set for Germany in May 2027, while still playing its other scheduled group games. Danish officials told Reuters they could not see themselves playing Russia, citing concerns about the integrity of the sport. Sweden’s federation said Russian national teams should not be involved in international ice hockey as long as the war persists.

The stance follows a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 30, which said Russia should be admitted to the world championships after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. Russia has been barred from International Ice Hockey Federation competitions since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the IIHF has objected to the ruling, saying it creates practical problems.

Finland, which also won gold at the previous championship, said it would use all possible means to block Russia’s return. The Finnish city of Turku separately said it could withdraw from hosting junior world championships in 2027-2028 if Russia is included.