Sports court orders Russia back into ice hockey worlds after 2022 ban

Russia will compete in the 2026-27 ice hockey world championships after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Friday that the International Ice Hockey Federation must allow its return. The decision reverses the exclusion imposed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ruling covers the men’s and women’s world championships and other IIHF events for the upcoming season.

CAS stated that the IIHF failed to provide sufficient evidence to support its security concerns. The court clarified that its decision did not determine whether Russia must play as neutral athletes without national symbols. The IIHF expressed disappointment, saying it maintained that its prior decisions were necessary to protect participants and safeguard competition integrity. Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov said on Telegram that the court recognized the Russian Hockey Federation’s demands as justified.

The immediate challenge falls to Germany, which hosts the men’s world championship next year. German hockey federation chairman Frank H. Lutz said the country remains opposed to Russia’s participation, citing security, political, and financial consequences. The draw for the tournament is already complete, creating a logistical impasse. Adding an extra team would create uneven groups and extend the tournament. Removing a qualified team to make space for Russia risks backlash, particularly if that team is Ukraine, which ended a 20-year absence from the event and is currently ranked lowest among the 16 participants.

The first tournament where Russia could reappear is the men’s world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada, starting December 26. Other affected events include the women’s world championship in Canada in November 2027, the men’s under-18 championship in Minnesota in April, and the women’s under-18 championship in the Czech Republic in January. A Russian team playing under its national flag in the Czech Republic may have political repercussions. A spokesperson for Czech President Petr Pavel noted that the president considers it appropriate to ban athletes under Russian and Belarusian flags as long as Russian aggression continues.

Federations from Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic expressed disappointment. Swedish Ice Hockey Association chairman Anders Larsson told the TT news agency that a boycott is not on the table. Finland indicated that individual players could opt out of tournaments including Russia. The IIHF signaled that practical arrangements would be decided after assessing the ruling.

The ruling does not apply to the women’s worlds starting next week in Denmark, as that competition was moved from the 2025-26 season to November. It also has no effect on the NHL’s 2028 World Cup of Hockey, which is being run without the IIHF. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said last month that the league needs more information before making a decision on Russian participation. Russia’s next focus may be soccer, where its teams remain excluded from major competitions. Russian soccer federation general secretary Maxim Mitrofanov told Tass that there should be one rule for all sports.