The key facts
- Mikhail Degtyarev proposed stripping Canada of the right to host the 2027 World Junior Championship over visa refusals for Russian hockey players
- The Russian Hockey Federation received IIHF notification of Russia's participation; the Russians took Norway's place in the schedule
- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russian hockey players would be denied visas
Sports minister's statement amid a visa dispute
Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyarev proposed stripping Canada of the right to host the 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship. The reason was refusals to issue visas to Russian hockey players. According to the minister, Russia has in an interview with Zvezda news.
Russia's national team included among participants, but the visa issue remains unresolved
The conflict unfolds against the backdrop of the fact that the Russian Hockey Federation has already received notification of the inclusion of Russia's junior national team among the participants of the 2027 World Championship. In the revised schedule, the Russians took Norway's place, which is being moved to Division IA. However, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Russian hockey players will be denied visas. Thus, the team's participation has formally been confirmed by the IIHF, but the practical possibility of traveling to Canada remains in question — Ottawa's position and Degtyarev's proposal to move the tournament directly contradict each other.
Dates and venue
The tournament is scheduled for December 26, 2026 — January 5, 2027, in the Canadian cities of Edmonton and Red Deer. No official decisions on moving the championship or changing the list of participants have been announced at this time; Degtyarev's statement remains a proposal from the Russian side, not an IIHF decision.
