The eyes of the hockey world are looking just beyond the holiday season, with Boxing Day marking the kickoff of the fiftieth annual IIHF World Junior Championship, this time being hosted by the defending champion Americans in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, with the home team looking to “three-peat” for the first time in history.

Group A, convening in Saint Paul at the Grand Casino Arena, features the hosts against Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Slovakia, with Team USA the heavy favourites not just to win their group, but the entire tournament. Sweden will look to play spoiler in the New Year’s Eve tilt that will likely solidify the top two teams in the group, while Slovakia stands out as the likeliest remaining to be fighting to cling to a medal round spot instead of relegation.

Group B, playing out of 3M Arena at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, sees 2025 Silver medallists Finland taking on Canada, Czechia, Latvia and Denmark, the latter promoted from Division IA. The Leijonat, Narodnitym and Team Canada will be in a three-way battle for tops in the group, while perennial fan favourites Latvia will look to play spoiler themselves, likely to send Denmark back to the relegation round.

Click here to see the full 2025 World Junior Championship schedule

From the perspective of the IHLC, a few interesting facts related to this year’s World Junior Championship:
– Sweden enters as incumbent champions for the ninth time in history, and the first since 2017, looking for just their third World Junior title in history, and first since 2012
– this is the seventh World Junior Championship to be hosted in the United States, with the state of Minnesota previously co-hosting in 1982 (Bloomington, Minneapolis and Duluth) and 2005 (Thief River Falls)
– Team USA is looking to “three-peat” as champions for the first time in history, and win their Gold on American ice for the first time; their previous best home finish is Bronze (2011, 2018)
– Canada will look to continue their success on American ice, having won four Gold medals (1982, 1996, 2005, 2018) south of the border, including two in Minnesota
– the only returning tournament award winners from 2025 are directorate Top Goaltender Petteri Rimpinen (Finland) and media all-star defender Cole Hutson (United States)

After yesterday’s exhibition victory over Switzerland, Sweden will enter the tournament with the International Hockey Lineal Championship, ensuring that the title will run through Group A at the Grand Casino Arena, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and PWHL’s Minnesota Frost – who leaves the Twin Cities with the title, and ostensibly World Junior Championship Gold, remains to be seen!

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