Germany discusses with IIHF barring Russia's national team from 2027 World Championship

Negotiations with IIHF regarding Russian participation

The German government is holding consultations with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to prevent the Russian national team from participating in the World Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Germany in May 2027. This was reported by Bild, citing sources in the German government.

Risk of boycott by neighbouring countries

According to the publication's sources, a decision to bar the Russian team may be made following discussions with the IIHF and the German Olympic Sports Confederation. Government officials believe that the participation of the Russian national team could cause problems. In particular, a number of European countries, including Sweden and Finland, have already stated their intention to boycott the tournament if the Russians take part in it.

Possible refusal to issue visas

In addition to negotiations with the federation, the German side is considering the possibility of refusing to issue visas to Russian hockey players. This is one of the measures being discussed as part of efforts to prevent the Russian national team from participating in the upcoming tournament.

Final decision rests with IIHF

At present, there is no final decision regarding the participation of the Russian national team. It is to be made by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It is worth noting that recently, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the IIHF to allow the Russian national team to participate in international ice hockey tournaments.

The Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled for May 2027. Matches are set to take place in Düsseldorf, Mannheim, and Gelsenkirchen.