Norway refuses to face Russia at 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship due to security risks

Official federation position on tournament participation

The Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation (NIHF) announced on Tuesday that the national team will not participate in the match against the Russian team at the men's ice hockey World Championship, which will take place in Germany in May 2027. The decision is justified by security considerations and current geopolitical tensions.

«Норвегія — з огляду на поточну ситуацію та інформацію, якою ми володіємо на сьогодні, — не гратиме проти Росії на чемпіонаті світу в Німеччині у травні 2027 року. Решту матчів у групі буде проведено згідно з розкладом. Наша позиція щодо необхідності виключення Росії з усіх міжнародних чемпіонатів, доки триває війна в Україні, залишається незмінною» (Norway — given the current situation and the information we have today — will not play against Russia at the World Championship in Germany in May 2027. The remaining matches in the group will be played according to the schedule. Our position on the need to exclude Russia from all international championships while the war in Ukraine continues remains unchanged), the official NIHF statement reads.

Impact of the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling

This reaction was a consequence of a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which was published last week. The court overturned the earlier decision to suspend Russian teams from competitions under the auspices of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The suspension was introduced following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia is now allowed to participate in international ice hockey tournaments again.

Player safety as a key factor

The NIHF emphasised that, in addition to political reasons, an important cause of this decision is the safety of the athletes. The federation expressed concern about potential threats that may arise for the national team players and coaching staff.

Reaction from European federations and sponsors

The restoration of Russia's eligibility for IIHF competitions provoked a sharp negative reaction among European ice hockey federations, host cities of future tournaments, and commercial partners. Threats to boycott tournaments, specifically the 2027 World Championship in Germany and the 2028 World Junior Championship in Finland, were voiced.

The Finnish Ice Hockey Association stated on Monday that it would use all available means to prevent Russia from participating in international competitions. Meanwhile, representatives of the city of Turku, which is set to host the junior tournament, warned that they would refuse to host the championship if the Russian team were granted entry.

Business partners also protested. The Swedish company AJ Products, a furniture manufacturer and sponsor of the men's World Championship since 1989, announced on Monday that it would cease sponsoring the competitions next year specifically due to the Russian team's admission to the tournament.