The IIHF will keep Belarus out of the 2027 World Junior Championship and World Championship, citing the disruption that reinstating the team would cause to tournament planning. Meanwhile, after a court ruling cleared the way for Russian teams to return to IIHF events, the federation is working through how to comply while managing tournament logistics and the risk of boycotts.

By the Numbers
  • Belarus will miss 2 IIHF tournaments in 2027.
  • 6 countries have threatened to withdraw from tournaments featuring Russia: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Czechia, Latvia and Denmark.
Yes, But

The IIHF says it disagrees with the court’s ruling on Russia, but must take steps to comply. Reinstating Russia could force tournament organizers to add a team or replace the lowest-ranked qualifier—Germany at the men’s World Juniors and Ukraine at next spring’s World Championship.

State of Play
  • Belarus remains excluded because the IIHF says schedules, competition formats, ticketing and operations are already set.
  • The IIHF is assessing conditions for Russia’s participation while weighing tournament stability, finances and potential withdrawals by other countries.
What's Next

The IIHF must determine how Russia could rejoin and whether its return would expand or reshape tournament fields. Its plan will need to meet the court’s ruling while keeping competitions viable.

Bottom Line

Russia’s return is now a planning challenge with consequences beyond Russia: the IIHF must balance legal compliance against the risk of disrupted tournaments and lost participation.