Canada and Germany are the biggest winners in the new International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Ranking after the conclusion of the World Championships. Switzerland is still in seventh place.
After a disappointing quarter-final elimination, the victorious Germany passed Switzerland, but left the Czech Republic far behind. The Germans improved from ninth to fifth. The new No. 1 is Canada, who replaced predecessor Finland at the top after defeating Germany in the final.
Essentially this means that gathering for next year’s World Cup in Prague and Ostrava is also certain. In Prague, Switzerland will likely meet hosts Czech Republic, Finland, USA, Denmark, Norway, Austria and newly promoted Great Britain – that is, none of the medalists from Tampere. However, the assembly can still be modified according to commercial aspects.
Direct qualification for the Olympics
The results of the World Championships and Olympic Championships for the past four years are counted in the rankings. The current standings also determine direct qualification for the 2026 Olympics in Italy. The top eight are sure to be there: Canada, Finland, Russia (if allowed again by then), USA, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Slovakia can advance in ninth place. The remaining three spots will be decided alongside host nation Italy in next year’s qualifying tournament.
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