Free-scoring Chinese Taipei needed just four games to wrap up gold at the 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division III Group A, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
After missing out on promotion on the final day last year, Chinese Taipei returned to Europe and stepped up when it mattered most. To Weng´s coached team went undefeated in Sofia´s Winter Sports Palace, scoring on 42 occasions.
In a nail-biting 5-4 thriller against Türkiye, Chinese Taipei secured top spot on the penultimate day of action.
Chinese Taipei entered the second period holding a two-goal lead, but Türkiye fought their way back into the game. At 5:25 into the final frame, Emin Inandi scored his third of the afternoon to put Türkiye ahead 4-3.
But careless Turkish defensive play on the man advantage proved costly, allowing Cheng-Yuan Tsai to intercept the puck at centre ice and score a shorthanded breakaway goal, tying the game with 3:21 left of the third period.
With just 24 seconds remaining, Yu-Chuan Chen rose to the occasion, netting the game-winning 5-4 goal to secure three points for Chinese Taipei.
Skating with the tournament's youngest roster, Chinese Taipei opened their promotion campaign with a 15-0 rout of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
One of ten returnees from last year, Kuan-Che Wang then led the way with a hat-trick in their 9-5 victory over Bulgaria in their second game.
Newly-promoted Thailand was then overpowered 8-1 on Day Three. Chinese Taipei closed the tournament with a 5-4 shootout win versus Belgium to remain undefeated.
Chinese Taipei will now move up to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division II Group B, a level at which they last competed in 2024.
Bulgaria finishes with silver, Belgium third
Second placed Bulgaria got off to a bright start on home ice with an opening day overtime win against Belgium. Another memorable triumph was the 6-1 victory against neighbours Türkiye on Day Three, with 18-year-old duo Aleksandar Stanimirov and Kaloyan Mitrikov both scoring braces.
Relegated from the division above, Belgium bounced back to finish third after an unlucky start, losing in overtime to Bulgaria and then in a shootout to Türkiye.
Türkiye´s Inandi led the tournament in scoring with 16 (10+6) points, closely followed by Stanimirov of Bulgaria on 15 (10+5) points.
Bulgaria´s Georgi Milanov was named the tournament´s top goalkeeper. His fellow countryman, Alexander Stamenov, was selected as top defender, while Inandi of Türkiye won the top forward award.
Final standings: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20iiia/standings/roundrobin
Game results: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20iiia/schedule
Final standings:
1. Chinese Taipei - 14 points (Promoted to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division II Group B)
2. Bulgaria - 11 points
3. Belgium - 9 points
4. Türkiye - 8 points
5. Thailand - 3 points
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 0 (Relegated to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division III Group B)
Game results:
19 January: THA 1-10 TUR, TPE 15-0 BIH, BUL 4-3 BEL (OT)
20 January: BIH 4-6 THA, BEL 2-3 TUR (SO), TPE 9-5 BUL
22 January: TPE 8-1 THA, BEL 11-1 BIH, BUL 6-1 TUR
24 January: TUR 4-5 TPE, BIH 0-8 BUL, THA 3-7 BEL
25 January: TUR 16-1 BIH, BEL 4-5 TPE (SO), BUL 6-0 THA
After missing out on promotion on the final day last year, Chinese Taipei returned to Europe and stepped up when it mattered most. To Weng´s coached team went undefeated in Sofia´s Winter Sports Palace, scoring on 42 occasions.
In a nail-biting 5-4 thriller against Türkiye, Chinese Taipei secured top spot on the penultimate day of action.
Chinese Taipei entered the second period holding a two-goal lead, but Türkiye fought their way back into the game. At 5:25 into the final frame, Emin Inandi scored his third of the afternoon to put Türkiye ahead 4-3.
But careless Turkish defensive play on the man advantage proved costly, allowing Cheng-Yuan Tsai to intercept the puck at centre ice and score a shorthanded breakaway goal, tying the game with 3:21 left of the third period.
With just 24 seconds remaining, Yu-Chuan Chen rose to the occasion, netting the game-winning 5-4 goal to secure three points for Chinese Taipei.
Skating with the tournament's youngest roster, Chinese Taipei opened their promotion campaign with a 15-0 rout of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
One of ten returnees from last year, Kuan-Che Wang then led the way with a hat-trick in their 9-5 victory over Bulgaria in their second game.
Newly-promoted Thailand was then overpowered 8-1 on Day Three. Chinese Taipei closed the tournament with a 5-4 shootout win versus Belgium to remain undefeated.
Chinese Taipei will now move up to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division II Group B, a level at which they last competed in 2024.
Bulgaria finishes with silver, Belgium third
Second placed Bulgaria got off to a bright start on home ice with an opening day overtime win against Belgium. Another memorable triumph was the 6-1 victory against neighbours Türkiye on Day Three, with 18-year-old duo Aleksandar Stanimirov and Kaloyan Mitrikov both scoring braces.
Relegated from the division above, Belgium bounced back to finish third after an unlucky start, losing in overtime to Bulgaria and then in a shootout to Türkiye.
Türkiye´s Inandi led the tournament in scoring with 16 (10+6) points, closely followed by Stanimirov of Bulgaria on 15 (10+5) points.
Bulgaria´s Georgi Milanov was named the tournament´s top goalkeeper. His fellow countryman, Alexander Stamenov, was selected as top defender, while Inandi of Türkiye won the top forward award.
Final standings: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20iiia/standings/roundrobin
Game results: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2026/wm20iiia/schedule
Final standings:
1. Chinese Taipei - 14 points (Promoted to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division II Group B)
2. Bulgaria - 11 points
3. Belgium - 9 points
4. Türkiye - 8 points
5. Thailand - 3 points
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 0 (Relegated to the 2027 IIHF U20 World Championship, Division III Group B)
Game results:
19 January: THA 1-10 TUR, TPE 15-0 BIH, BUL 4-3 BEL (OT)
20 January: BIH 4-6 THA, BEL 2-3 TUR (SO), TPE 9-5 BUL
22 January: TPE 8-1 THA, BEL 11-1 BIH, BUL 6-1 TUR
24 January: TUR 4-5 TPE, BIH 0-8 BUL, THA 3-7 BEL
25 January: TUR 16-1 BIH, BEL 4-5 TPE (SO), BUL 6-0 THA