The key facts
- The IIHF sent Norway a notice revising the lineup of the 2027 World Junior Championship: Russia takes tenth place in the ranking, the Norwegians are moved to Division IA
- The basis is the CAS verdict of October 30, which lifted restrictions on Russian national teams' participation in the 2026/27 season; the IIHF expressed disagreement but is implementing the decision
- Switzerland refused to play against Russia but not against the other participants; under IIHF regulations, a 0:5 forfeit and disqualification are possible
Norway loses its spot to Russia following a CAS ruling
Norway's junior ice hockey team has lost its place in the preliminary lineup of the elite division of the 2027 World Championship due to Russia's return. This was reported by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation (NIHF): the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) sent the association a notice about a revision of the participant lineup. Under the new schedule, the Russian team will take tenth place in the ranking, while the Norwegians will be moved down to Division IA. The basis was the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dated October 30, which lifted the restrictions on Russian national teams' participation in competitions of the 2026/27 season. The IIHF expressed disagreement with the arbitration decision but has begun implementing it; the federation also has to settle with the organizers issues of security, visa acquisition and changes to the calendar.
The Norwegian side hopes for a revision
NIHF Secretary General Petter Salsten acknowledged that the international federation is obliged to implement the CAS decision, but expressed hope that the situation may still change. «The Canadian authorities have made it clear that Russian players will not be granted visas to take part in the World Junior Championship. In addition, several countries have announced that they will not take part in the tournament or play against Russia. Therefore, we hope that the final word on our participation has not yet been spoken,» Life.ru quotes him as saying. According to Salsten, the Norwegian leadership expects to receive additional clarifications from the IIHF in the coming days.
The schedule and Switzerland's position
The tournament will run from December 26, 2026 to January 5, 2027 in the Canadian cities of Edmonton and Red Deer. As Life.ru previously reported, in the adjusted schedule the Russians have already been assigned their first match — against Switzerland on December 27. The Swiss Ice Hockey Federation announced that its team will not take the ice against the Russian squad, but does not intend to withdraw from the other games. At the same time, the general schedule published on the IIHF website still lists Norway, since the changes have not yet been finalized.
What Switzerland risks by refusing to play the match
Life.ru found out what sanctions the IIHF may apply to the Swiss national team for refusing to play against the Russian hockey players. Under the federation's regulations, failure to appear for a match without a valid reason entails a forfeit with a score of 0:5. In addition, the team may be disqualified from the tournament if the circumstances of the refusal were within its control. The question of imposing sanctions is considered by the federation's authorized bodies, and the decision made may be appealed.
