Ukraine’s return to the men’s Ice Hockey World Championship, their first since 2006, was earned on the ice in May through promotion from Division I Group A in Sosnowiec, Poland. Six months later, a courtroom in Lausanne put the whole thing in doubt.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday 30 October that the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) must immediately readmit Russian national teams to its competitions. The panel found that the federation’s safety and security arguments “were not supported by sufficient evidence”, clearing Russia to compete in the 2027 Men’s World Championship in Germany, the Women’s World Championship in Canada later in 2027 and both the U18 and U20 editions.

The IIHF said it “disagrees with this aspect of the ruling and maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants”, but confirmed it would comply.

16 teams, 17 federations wanting in

Germany will host the 2027 Men’s World Championship from 13 to 30 May, with Düsseldorf, Mannheim and Gelsenkirchen as venues, and the hosts opening the tournament against Switzerland at Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins-Arena on 13 May. The groups were drawn in June without Russia. Ukraine, promoted from Division I Group A, sits at the bottom of the IIHF men’s ranking among the 16 qualified teams.

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That ranking is the problem. The format has room for 16 nations, not 17. If Russia is slotted in without changing the structure, the lowest-ranked team in the field is the one that would make way, and that is Ukraine.

The council meets this week

The IIHF Council is meeting on 2 and 3 November to work out how to implement the ruling. The federation has promised details “in due course”, but has given no public hint on whether it will try to expand the field, redraw the groups or push the decision towards the lowest-ranked participant.

Ten national federations, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Latvia, Austria, Norway, Denmark and Ukraine, have publicly condemned the CAS decision, according to Meduza’s coverage of the ruling’s fallout.

Swedish Ice Hockey Association chair Anders Larsson told Sweden Herald the ruling had caught the federation off guard.

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“It is impossible to say anything other than that it was extremely unexpected,” he said.

Practical obstacles remain even if the IIHF makes room. Russia has not fielded a senior men’s national team since December 2022, and host countries have the option of denying visas to Russian athletes. Tournament schedules and ticket sales for Germany 2027 are already live.

What happens next

Ukraine’s spot in Germany depends on a decision expected from the IIHF Council in the coming days. The men’s tournament opens on 13 May 2027 in Gelsenkirchen.

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