The 2026 Olympic ice hockey tournament in Milan will take place without Russia. The decision also has implications for the Swiss national team. The three preliminary round opponents have now been decided.
25.05.2025, 19:08
25.05.2025, 19:15
SDA
Luc Tardif, President of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, confirmed on the final day of the World Championships in Stockholm that Russia will not be taking part in next year's Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. "The organizing committee has instructed us to create a schedule without Russia," the 72-year-old explained after an IIHF congress in the Swedish capital.
Tardif said that the world federation had initially prepared a schedule with and without Russia. "The IOC is the organizer, we are responsible for the sporting organization," explained the French-Canadian. "We have therefore requested a decision from the IOC." Tardif explained that the IOC will communicate the decision soon.
Russia's exclusion also affects the Swiss national team. According to the decision, Patrick Fischer's team will play in Group A with Canada, the Czech Republic and France, who are moving up. If Russia had taken part, Canada, Sweden and hosts Italy would have been the preliminary round opponents. Next year, for the first time since 2014, all NHL stars will be available for the Winter Games.
Russia has been banned from all Ice Hockey World Championships since 2022 following the war of aggression against Ukraine. The 27-time world champions also remain banned from next year's tournament in Switzerland. A decision on Russia's possible return for the 2027 World Championships in Germany is likely to be made in February 2027.
