Norway Will Not Play Russia at the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship
The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association said its men's national team will refuse to face Russia at the world championship but will play all other games. The decision follows a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling reinstating Russian teams.
Norway's men's national ice hockey team will not play against Russia at the 2027 world championship but will take part in all its other games as scheduled, the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association announced on Tuesday. The tournament is organised by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and the stance is a response to a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that opens the way for Russia's return to international competition.
Background
On Friday, CAS ordered the IIHF to reinstate Russia's national teams in international tournaments immediately. The decision covers this season's world championships for senior men, the U-20 and U-18 teams, and the women's world championships. Latvia's national team also competes in the men's top division.
Russian teams had been barred from IIHF competitions since February 2022, when Russia launched its renewed invasion of Ukraine. During that period Russian teams missed five world championships and the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina.
Norway's position
The Norwegian association said it has already informed the IIHF council of its decision. It stressed that its position is unchanged: Russia should be excluded from all international competitions while the war in Ukraine continues. The refusal to play Russians was made, it said, to safeguard the safety and well-being of players, team staff and their families.
On Monday, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association said Finland's national teams will not play against Russian players until the war in Ukraine ends.
Tournament schedule
The first tournament in which Russia can compete following the CAS ruling is the world junior championship at the turn of the year. The men's world championship is scheduled for 14–30 May in Düsseldorf and Mannheim, Germany. On Monday it was reported that Germany does not rule out withdrawing as host of the event.
