Russia Defeats U.S. in Moscow Ice Hockey Match Aimed at Normalizing Ties
Russia defeated the United States 10-6 in an inaugural ice hockey match in Moscow on Wednesday, organized to help thaw bilateral ties frozen since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The match took place on Wednesday at the Kristall ice palace within Moscow’s Luzhniki Olympic Complex, with only 500 spectators allowed due to the small venue. It was organized by the chambers of commerce of both countries and was by invitation only.
Russian presidential aide Anton Kobyakov said before the game that the event would become part of a broader business dialogue. President Vladimir Putin first suggested holding such hockey matches during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump in March 2025. The Kremlin stated that Trump supported the idea, but the White House never confirmed this.
The U.S. team roster was largely anonymous. The only publicly known player was captain Scott MacPherson, former general manager of a Beijing-based KHL team. According to AmCham Russia President Robert Agee, the rest of the U.S. team consisted of retired players and executives from U.S. companies’ Moscow offices.
Russia’s team included seven active NHL and KHL stars, Hall of Famers, and amateurs such as government officials and musicians. Roman Rotenberg, son of billionaire and Putin friend Boris Rotenberg, also played. Soviet hockey legend and State Duma deputy Vyacheslav Fetisov, who played for Russia, said before the match that Putin’s vision of professional matches between the two countries would take another two to three years to realize. He added that a second match would likely be held in the United States.
