The Division IA World Championship tournament in Bolzano, Italy saw the top two spots for promotion to the 2025 World Championship in Sweden and Denmark locked up on the final day of competition, with Slovenia and Hungary both clinching their returns to the Top Division.

Slovenia had locked up their spot to return the day before the tournament wrapped, securing nine points with three wins, but edging out Italy and Romania by virtue of head-to-head wins. Heading into the final day of competition, Hungary, Italy and Romania were all mathematically still alive for the second spot, with Hungary holding eight points, while Italy and Romania each held six points, Italy holding the tiebreaker by virtue of a 6-1 victory over Romania on 28 April. Romania took care of business in the opening game, dispatching Japan 4-2 to move up to nine points. However, they were unseated by the second game, with Italy thrashing Korea 8-1, leaving them at nine points and in need of a Hungary loss to Slovenia in the tournament finale to clinch.

But it was the Magyars, needing just a single point to get into a four-way tie with Slovenia, Italy and Romania, but at least an overtime win to lock up first place, who pulled away from Slovenia late in the third period of their finale, with a powerplay goal from Kristof Papp with less than three minutes left in regulation sealing the 2-1 victory, securing first place and a guaranteed return to the Top Division for both squads playing, sending both teams back after they were both relegated last year from the Top Division together.

Italy, Romania and Japan will remain in Division IA in 2024, while Korea is relegated to Division IB; they will join the two bottom teams from this year’s World Championships, set to begin in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia next week, as well as Ukraine, who gained promotion in this year’s Division IB tournament, looking for their first Top Division play since 2006.

Our congratulations to both the Risi and the Magyars for their triumphant return to the Top Division in 2025!

Photo Credit: WMIA 2024  – IIHF – HHOF – IOC