The key facts

  • The Norwegian federation published a statement expressing hope for participation in the tournament despite being replaced by Russia
  • On October 30 the CAS overturned the suspension of the Russian national team, and the IIHF changed the 2027 World Championship schedule
  • Six countries refused to play against Russia at the men's 2027 World Championship in Germany

Norway contests losing its place in the tournament

The Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation (NIHF), on its website, published a statement saying that it continues to hope for participation in the 2027 World Junior Championship, even though Russia's national team has taken its place in the tournament schedule. NIHF Secretary General Petter Salsten said: “The Canadian authorities have made it clear that Russian players will not be granted visas to take part in the World Championship. In addition, a number of participating countries have stated that they will not take part, or will not face Russia, if they have to play against it at the championship. This gives hope that the final decision on our participation has not yet been made.”

What preceded the situation

Earlier, information emergedthat the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) had changed the schedule of the 2027 World Junior Championship: the Russian national team, which had not taken part in previous tournaments, will occupy the tenth spot in the ranking of the upcoming tournament, replacing Norway. The basis was a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport: on October 30 it fully upheld the appeal of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and overturned the IIHF decision to suspend Russia. The IIHF stressed at the time that it would urgently assess the steps and the time needed to implement the decision and address its operational consequences.

Reaction of other federations

Following the CAS decision, six countries — Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Norway, Latvia and Denmark — refused to play against the Russian national team at the 2027 men's World Championship in Germany. Earlier, the French Ice Hockey Federation expressed regret over the decision to allow the Russians to compete. Thus, the final lineup of participants in the junior tournament remains uncertain: the Norwegian side is relying on the position of the Canadian visa authorities and statements from a number of participating countries, but there is still no formal decision on returning Norway to the schedule.