Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have joined Finland in vowing to boycott any matches against Russia during the 2027 ice hockey World Championships. The collective stance follows the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with the Nordic nations declaring that competition against Russian teams remains unacceptable under current circumstances. The Nordic countries have been strong supporters of Ukraine since the start of the war.
The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association issued a statement on Tuesday confirming its refusal to participate in any games against Russia. The organization stressed that its position regarding a complete ban on Russia from international championships for the duration of the war in Ukraine remains firm. Despite this boycott, Norway intends to fulfill its remaining group stage commitments as scheduled.
Sweden’s governing body adopted a similarly uncompromising position. In an official release, the Swedish federation stated that the involvement of Russian teams in international hockey while the war continues is inconceivable. “Swedish national teams will not play matches against Russian national teams,” the body declared, emphasizing that their stance is crystal clear.
These developments come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on October 30 that Russia must be permitted to participate in global championships, following an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. This legal outcome has placed the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in a difficult position; the IIHF has expressed open opposition to the decision, noting that it creates significant practical implications for the sport. Russia has been banned from International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) competitions since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Finland’s ice hockey federation took an early lead in the resistance on Monday, stating it would employ all possible means to block Russia’s reinstatement. Federation president Heikki Hietanen noted that Finland is actively rallying other nations to present a unified front to the IIHF. Additionally, the city of Turku announced it would withdraw from hosting duties for the 2027-2028 junior world championships if Russian participation is permitted.
Henrik Bach Nielsen, head of the Danish ice hockey federation, warned that the situation risks escalating into total disorder.
He argued that the integrity of the sport depends on excluding Russia, stating that attempting to move forward with matches against them would inevitably end in chaos.
While the 2027 championships are scheduled to be held in Germany next May, the current tournament brackets and scheduling were originally finalized without Russian inclusion, leaving organizers with significant logistical challenges following the CAS ruling. But the draw and scheduling for the tournament have already taken place, without Russia included, the 2027 world championships are due to be held in Germany in May.
