The U.S. enters this tournament in Group A as the defending Olympic and world champion, but faces a tough battle to retain the crown it won in Stockholm last year (pictured above).
photo: PHOTO: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is shaping up to be a fitting sequel to the unforgettable Olympic men’s hockey tournament we witnessed in Milan in February. Plenty of elite talent and excitement about seeing the Men’s Worlds return to Switzerland for the first time in 17 years are just two key elements.
The nations comprising Group A in Zurich have won eight of the 15 World Championship medals awarded thus far in the 2020s. That includes the defending champion U.S., which ended a 92-year drought at this tournament with its 1-0 overtime win over Switzerland in last year’s gold medal game. But the Americans are far from the only title contenders in Switzerland’s largest city. Let’s take a closer look at Group A.
Austria
Austria took a big step last year with just its second quarter-final berth since the IIHF instituted the playoff system at the Men’s Worlds in 1992. Upsetting Slovakia 3-2 in a shootout and trouncing Latvia 6-1 were among the highlights. But that was last year.
Can coach Roger Bader’s 2026 squad match or best that eighth-place finish? It’s a long shot.The absence of Austria’s top NHL forward in Marco Rossi doesn’t help, but the current Vancouver Canuck also wasn’t part of last year’s team. That said, Austria will miss the veteran smarts of the Raffl brothers and the energy of Detroit’s Marco Kasper at this tournament. Goalie David Kickert will be busy as usual. Expect the Austrians to be on the bubble, hovering between 12th amd 14th place.
Finland
This perennial contender hasn’t medaled at the Men’s Worlds since the magical year of 2022 when it captured Olympic gold in Beijing before topping the world in Tampere. But after achieving a bronze medal at the Milan Olympics, the Finns are well-positioned to vie for gold in Zurich. They’ll first battle the U.S. and Switzerland for top spot in Group A.
The nations comprising Group A in Zurich have won eight of the 15 World Championship medals awarded thus far in the 2020s. That includes the defending champion U.S., which ended a 92-year drought at this tournament with its 1-0 overtime win over Switzerland in last year’s gold medal game. But the Americans are far from the only title contenders in Switzerland’s largest city. Let’s take a closer look at Group A.
Austria
Austria took a big step last year with just its second quarter-final berth since the IIHF instituted the playoff system at the Men’s Worlds in 1992. Upsetting Slovakia 3-2 in a shootout and trouncing Latvia 6-1 were among the highlights. But that was last year.
Can coach Roger Bader’s 2026 squad match or best that eighth-place finish? It’s a long shot.The absence of Austria’s top NHL forward in Marco Rossi doesn’t help, but the current Vancouver Canuck also wasn’t part of last year’s team. That said, Austria will miss the veteran smarts of the Raffl brothers and the energy of Detroit’s Marco Kasper at this tournament. Goalie David Kickert will be busy as usual. Expect the Austrians to be on the bubble, hovering between 12th amd 14th place.
Finland
This perennial contender hasn’t medaled at the Men’s Worlds since the magical year of 2022 when it captured Olympic gold in Beijing before topping the world in Tampere. But after achieving a bronze medal at the Milan Olympics, the Finns are well-positioned to vie for gold in Zurich. They’ll first battle the U.S. and Switzerland for top spot in Group A.
Finnish coach Antti Pennanen (second from left) won an Olympic bronze medal in February and is questing for Worlds gold in Zurich in May.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDRE RINGUETTE
The marquee roster addition is Aleksander Barkov. The two-time Stanley Cup champion with Florida missed the entire NHL season and the Olympics due to knee surgery. If the 30-year-old Barkov, a three-time Selke Trophy winner, is ready to roll, he is a game-changer with his two-way play. From Panthers teammate Anton Lundell to Chicago’s Teuvo Teravainen at forward to Calgary’s Olli Maatta and Ottawa’s Niklas Matinpalo on defence, there is NHL quality throughout the lineup. On paper, this team is better than, say, the 2019 group who garnered gold in Bratislava. Now head coach Antti Pennanen has to maximize their capabilities.
Germany
The Germans – whose recent successes include silver medals at the 2018 Olympics and 2023 Men’s Worlds – can never be taken lightly due to their resilience and work ethic. With their top NHL goalie (Seattle’s Philipp Grubauer) and potential future Norris Trophy winner (Detroit’s Moritz Seider) returning from the sixth-place Olympic team, there could be potential here.
However, whether Seider is fully healthy is a major question mark, and the dearth of NHL scoring talent at forward is another limiting factor. A respectable Group A run followed by a quarter-final exit is the most likely scenario.
Great Britain
Newly promoted Great Britain is making its fifth top-division appearance since 2019. Intangibles and fighting spirit have always been Team GB’s calling card. Think back to how the British rallied from a 3-0 deficit versus France in a must-win 2019 showdown to win 4-3 in overtime and remain among the world’s top 16 nations.
This year, as usual, forward Liam Kirk will spark the offence. The 26-year-old former NHL prospect is coming off a DEL-leading 32-goal campaign with Eisbaren Berlin. The lack of injured defenceman Ben O’Connor, 37, is a notable setback. Overall, coach Pete Russell has a veteran-laden squad with towering goalie Ben Bowns, 35, holding down the fort.
The British have a chance to stay up – the 19 May game with Hungary is critical, and they have proved they can give Austria fits. But it will be dicey.
Hungary
Will the vocal passion of Hungary’s fans propel their national team to stay up for an unprecedented third straight year? You never know. Last year’s 14th-place finish marked the first time since the 1930’s that Hungary has avoided relegation immediately after being promoted. (The Hungarians also played in the top division in 2009, 2016, and 2023.)
Germany
The Germans – whose recent successes include silver medals at the 2018 Olympics and 2023 Men’s Worlds – can never be taken lightly due to their resilience and work ethic. With their top NHL goalie (Seattle’s Philipp Grubauer) and potential future Norris Trophy winner (Detroit’s Moritz Seider) returning from the sixth-place Olympic team, there could be potential here.
However, whether Seider is fully healthy is a major question mark, and the dearth of NHL scoring talent at forward is another limiting factor. A respectable Group A run followed by a quarter-final exit is the most likely scenario.
Great Britain
Newly promoted Great Britain is making its fifth top-division appearance since 2019. Intangibles and fighting spirit have always been Team GB’s calling card. Think back to how the British rallied from a 3-0 deficit versus France in a must-win 2019 showdown to win 4-3 in overtime and remain among the world’s top 16 nations.
This year, as usual, forward Liam Kirk will spark the offence. The 26-year-old former NHL prospect is coming off a DEL-leading 32-goal campaign with Eisbaren Berlin. The lack of injured defenceman Ben O’Connor, 37, is a notable setback. Overall, coach Pete Russell has a veteran-laden squad with towering goalie Ben Bowns, 35, holding down the fort.
The British have a chance to stay up – the 19 May game with Hungary is critical, and they have proved they can give Austria fits. But it will be dicey.
Hungary
Will the vocal passion of Hungary’s fans propel their national team to stay up for an unprecedented third straight year? You never know. Last year’s 14th-place finish marked the first time since the 1930’s that Hungary has avoided relegation immediately after being promoted. (The Hungarians also played in the top division in 2009, 2016, and 2023.)
Hungary's ardent supporters hope their underdog heroes can stay in the top division once again.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
Head coach Gergely Majoross gets a good compete level out of his players. Attacker Janos Hari, 34, will look to build on his successful 2025 WM in which he posted a team-high five points. It’ll be exciting to see if 17-year-old wunderkind Doman Szongoth – who had a good junior season in Finland and also represented Hungary in U18 and U20 Division I play – can take the next step. (The strapping forward made his Men’s Worlds debut last year, going pointless.) But there’s little room for error here for the Magyars, who can expect to get blown out several times even if they do survive.
Latvia
Latvia deserves massive credit for staying in the top division continuously since 1997. This tiny Baltic nation – whose population of 1.8 million is roughly the same as the city of Montreal – went wild after winning its first Worlds medal ever in 2023, a bronze in Tampere.
Low on NHL reinforcements this year in Zurich, Latvia will lean on veterans like the Swiss-based Rudolfs Balcers (ZSC Lions Zurich) and Czech-based Ralfs Freibergs (HC Vitkovice). A defenceman to watch is Alberts Smits, who logged big minutes at both this year’s Olympics and World Juniors at age 18 and is a projected first-round NHL pick in June.
At the Milan Olympics, the Latvians scored a 4-3 upset over Germany – their lone highlight in a 10th-place finish. Coach Harijs Vitolins is likely headed for a similar placement here, albeit in a 16-team rather than 12-team field.
Switzerland
The host nation is in gold-or-bust mode after settling for the silver medal in 2024 and 2025. Switzerland also suffered heartbreak at this year’s Olympics, squandering a two-goal quarter-final lead and falling 3-2 in overtime to eventual bronze medalist Finland.
Latvia
Latvia deserves massive credit for staying in the top division continuously since 1997. This tiny Baltic nation – whose population of 1.8 million is roughly the same as the city of Montreal – went wild after winning its first Worlds medal ever in 2023, a bronze in Tampere.
Low on NHL reinforcements this year in Zurich, Latvia will lean on veterans like the Swiss-based Rudolfs Balcers (ZSC Lions Zurich) and Czech-based Ralfs Freibergs (HC Vitkovice). A defenceman to watch is Alberts Smits, who logged big minutes at both this year’s Olympics and World Juniors at age 18 and is a projected first-round NHL pick in June.
At the Milan Olympics, the Latvians scored a 4-3 upset over Germany – their lone highlight in a 10th-place finish. Coach Harijs Vitolins is likely headed for a similar placement here, albeit in a 16-team rather than 12-team field.
Switzerland
The host nation is in gold-or-bust mode after settling for the silver medal in 2024 and 2025. Switzerland also suffered heartbreak at this year’s Olympics, squandering a two-goal quarter-final lead and falling 3-2 in overtime to eventual bronze medalist Finland.
After ending up with the silver medal in 2024 and 2025, Swiss NHL star Nico Hischier hopes to strike gold on home ice in Zurich.
photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
It’s all hands on deck for coach Patrick Fischer, and that’s just how the Swiss roll year after year. With former Norris Trophy winner Roman Josi and Janis Moser on the blue line and Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Nino Niederreiter up front, they have enough NHL talent for another run to the final. And 38-year-old Leonardo Genoni – 2025’s record-setting Best Goalie and the owner of a 1.47 GAA and 94.6 save percentage in Milan – could seal his legend on home ice.
The Swiss just need to find another gear and get over the mental block that has seen them blanked in the last two finals, including a 2-0 loss versus Czechia in 2024.
United States
Will the U.S. join Sweden (2006) and Finland (2022) in the exclusive group of nations that have won Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year? It’ll be a tall order to follow up on Jack Hughes’ thrilling overtime winner versus archrival Canada in the Milan final.
On paper, this Team USA is not on par with the group that grabbed gold last year on Tage Thompson’s sudden-death strike in Stockholm. There is a touch of star power with two-time Stanley Cup champion and 100-man Matthew Tkachuk. The ever-agitating Florida Panthers power forward was limited to 31 NHL games this year, but racked up six assists in the U.S.’s run to Olympic gold. Recent World Junior gold medalists now making their NHL mark like Washington’s Ryan Leonard and Boston’s James Hagens are also worth watching in this youth-laden group. And defenceman Justin Faulk – a 2014 Olympian, two-time Worlds bronze medalist (2013, 2015), and veteran of 1,058 NHL games – brings valuable experience at age 34.
The Americans have a shot at first place in Group A. Getting another medal of any shade would be a success. If coach Don Granato can take this team all the way, it’ll be a monumental feat.
The Swiss just need to find another gear and get over the mental block that has seen them blanked in the last two finals, including a 2-0 loss versus Czechia in 2024.
United States
Will the U.S. join Sweden (2006) and Finland (2022) in the exclusive group of nations that have won Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year? It’ll be a tall order to follow up on Jack Hughes’ thrilling overtime winner versus archrival Canada in the Milan final.
On paper, this Team USA is not on par with the group that grabbed gold last year on Tage Thompson’s sudden-death strike in Stockholm. There is a touch of star power with two-time Stanley Cup champion and 100-man Matthew Tkachuk. The ever-agitating Florida Panthers power forward was limited to 31 NHL games this year, but racked up six assists in the U.S.’s run to Olympic gold. Recent World Junior gold medalists now making their NHL mark like Washington’s Ryan Leonard and Boston’s James Hagens are also worth watching in this youth-laden group. And defenceman Justin Faulk – a 2014 Olympian, two-time Worlds bronze medalist (2013, 2015), and veteran of 1,058 NHL games – brings valuable experience at age 34.
The Americans have a shot at first place in Group A. Getting another medal of any shade would be a success. If coach Don Granato can take this team all the way, it’ll be a monumental feat.