The schedule for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship has been released, with the United States looking to “three-peat” as world champions for the first time in history, looking to do some on home ice in Minnesota, with the Americans hosting the tournament’s fiftieth edition for the first time since 2018.

Group A, playing out of Saint Paul, features the hosts and defending champions the United States against Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany, with Team USA the heavy favourites to run the table and win the group, with their New Year’s Eve tilt against Sweden likely to be their only major hurdle. The Americans open the tournament on Boxing Day against Germany, who is looking to avoid going to the relegation round for the third straight year.

Group B, playing out of Minneapolis, features a tighter group of 2025 Silver and Bronze medalists Finland and Czechia, respectively, taking on perennial favourites Canada, Latvia and newly-promoted Denmark. The Finns, Czechs and Canadians should be in a three-way dogfight to clinch top spot in the group, with the New Year’s Canada-Finland tilt potentially serving as the group clincher.

The tournament schedule is as follows:

The IHLC will be brought to the Twin Cities by the likely winner of the upcoming World Junior Summer Showcase, set to be held from 25 July – 02 August in Minneapolis between top American, Canadian, Swedish and Finnish prospects. Whether the winner of that tournament can keep the title by the time their pre-Worlds exhibition schedule hits Christmas Day remains to be seen!

Photo Credit: 2025 World Junior Championship – IIHF – HHOF – IOC