Day: January 27, 2026

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division III, Group B recently concluded at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan. It was a dominant week for the hosts, who capitalized on home-ice advantage to secure promotion.

Here is the recap of the tournament:

The Champions: Kyrgyzstan

The Kyrgyz national team finished with a perfect 5-0 record, outscoring their opponents 38–10 over the course of the tournament. Their victory ensures they are promoted to Division III, Group A for the 2027 championship.

The final and deciding game saw Kyrgyzstan defeat Mexico 7-4, led by a hat trick from star forward Alikhan Ali-Askarov.

Kyrgyzstan Promoted to Division III A in 2027

Final Standings

Individual Standouts

The tournament’s leaderboard was dominated by the hosts, particularly their top offensive line:

• Top Scorer: Alikhan Ali-Askarov (Kyrgyzstan) – He was the undisputed MVP of the tournament, finishing with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in just 5 games.

• Best Forward: Umar Egemberdiev (Kyrgyzstan) – Finished right behind his teammate with 17 points, including 10 goals.

• Best Defender: Egor Leshchenko (Kyrgyzstan) – A massive physical presence (6’5″) who contributed 11 points and finished with a +19 rating.

• Top Goaltender: Santiago Cucuraqui (Mexico) – Despite the bronze finish, he led the tournament with a .852 save percentage and faced the highest volume of shots.

Tournament Highlights

• Biggest Blowout: Kyrgyzstan’s 15–1 victory over Iran in the third round.

• Key Battle: The silver medal was decided by a tightly contested match between Hong Kong and Mexico, which Hong Kong won 5–3.

• The Atmosphere: The Bishkek Arena saw significant local support, which fueled the “Red Machine” of Kyrgyzstan to their second consecutive age-group promotion (following their U18 success).

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division III, Group A recently wrapped up at the Winter Sports Palace in Sofia, Bulgaria (January 19–25, 2026). It was a high-scoring tournament that saw a dominant performance by the youngest roster in the field.

The Champions: Chinese Taipei

Chinese Taipei finished the tournament undefeated to secure the gold medal and earn promotion to Division II, Group B for 2027. They showcased an incredible offensive engine, scoring 42 goals across just five games.

The turning point was a thrilling 5-4 victory over Türkiye on the penultimate day, where Yu-Chuan Chen scored the game-winner with only 24 seconds remaining. They capped off their perfect run with a shootout win against Belgium on the final day.

Chinese Taipei earn promotion to Division II, Group B for 2027

Final Standings

Individual Award Winners

The IIHF directorate recognized the following players for their outstanding performances:

• Top Scorer: Emin Inandi (Türkiye) – Finished with 16 points (10 goals, 6 assists).

• Best Forward: Emin Inandi (Türkiye) – Also led the tournament in goals.

• Best Defender: Alexander Stamenov (Bulgaria) – A key part of the host nation’s silver-medal run.

• Best Goalkeeper: Georgi Milanov (Bulgaria) – Recorded two shutouts and a .900 save percentage.

Tournament Highlights

• The Hosts’ Surge: Bulgaria made the most of their home-ice advantage, winning a memorable 6-1 “neighbourly” derby against Türkiye and pushing for gold until their loss to Chinese Taipei.

• Dominant Debut: Chinese Taipei opened their campaign with a massive 15-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, setting the tone for the rest of the week.

• Belgium’s Close Calls: Despite finishing third, Belgium was remarkably competitive, losing two of their matches in overtime/shootouts (to Bulgaria and Chinese Taipei).

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division II, Group B tournament concluded on January 24, 2026, at the Pionir Ice Hall in Belgrade, Serbia. It was a tournament defined by the absolute dominance of the Dutch squad, who outclassed the field from start to finish.

The Champions: Netherlands

The Netherlands lived up to their status as the top seed, finishing with a perfect 5–0 record. Their performance was statistically staggering: they scored 40 goals while allowing only 3 against them.

They secured the gold medal and earned promotion back to Division II, Group A for 2027. Their most lopsided victory was a massive 16–0 win over New Zealand, but they also handled silver-medalists Australia with a comfortable 8–1 result.

Netherlands makes a quick return back to Division II, Group A for 2027

Final Standings

Individual Directorate Awards

The Netherlands’ dominance was reflected in the individual awards, taking two of the three top honors:

• Best Goalkeeper: Danylo Douma (Netherlands) – Recorded two shutouts and finished with a .971 save percentage.

• Best Defender: Daniel Koudelka (Australia) – Led all defenders with 7 points (all assists).

• Best Forward: Jaidy van Mourik (Netherlands) – The tournament’s leading scorer with 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) and a +15 rating.

Tournament Highlights

• The Goaltending Duo: The Netherlands utilized two goaltenders, Danylo Douma and Thijs Kivits, who combined for three shutouts in five games. Kivits actually finished with a slightly higher save percentage (.974).

• Battle for Silver: Australia secured the silver medal despite a 6–4 loss to the hosts, Serbia. Their crucial 5–1 victory over Israel proved to be the tiebreaker they needed.

• Relegation Scramble: The fight to stay in the division came down to the final days. New Zealand and Iceland both finished with 3 points, but Iceland was relegated due to their head-to-head loss (6–2) against New Zealand earlier in the week.

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division II, Group A was held from January 4 to 10, 2026, at the Berceni Arena in Bucharest, Romania. The tournament was a masterclass in efficiency by South Korea, who dominated the competition to secure an immediate return to Division I.

The Champions: South Korea

South Korea finished the tournament with a perfect 5–0 record, outscoring their opponents 33–6. Having been relegated from Division I, Group B just a year prior, the Koreans left no doubt about their intent to climb back up.

They clinched the gold medal with a game to spare after a commanding 8–1 win over Spain, finishing the week with a hard-fought 5–2 victory over the hosts, Romania, in front of a packed arena.

South Korea returns to Division I Group A

Final Standings

Directorate Awards & Top Performers

The individual awards were highlighted by South Korea’s high-octane offense and Great Britain’s stellar defensive stand.

• Best Forward: Jung Jun Kim (South Korea) – The tournament’s scoring leader with 15 points (2 goals, 13 assists) in 5 games.

• Best Defender: Roko Gorsic (Croatia) – Led all defenders in scoring with 11 points and provided a veteran presence for the bronze medalists.

• Best Goalkeeper: Benjamin Clark Leach (Great Britain) – Finished with a .909 save percentage, including a heroic 38-save performance against Romania to secure the silver.

• Top Goal Scorer: Matko Idzan (Croatia) – Led the field with 6 goals.

Tournament Highlights

• The “Red Machine” Offense: South Korea’s top line was unstoppable, led by Kim Jung-jun. They opened the tournament with a statement 12–2 win over Croatia and never looked back.

• British Resilience: Great Britain narrowly missed gold, with their only regulation loss coming against South Korea (4–0). They secured silver in a dramatic final-day overtime win against China (4–3).

• Heartbreak for the Hosts: Romania’s tournament was a roller coaster. They thrilled the home crowd with a shootout win over China on opening night but suffered two overtime/one-goal losses that kept them off the podium.

• Spain Relegated: Despite some competitive periods, Spain finished winless and will drop to Division II, Group B for the 2027 cycle.

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division I, Group B tournament, held in Milano, Italy, wrapped up in mid-December 2025. It was a tightly contested affair where the promotion spot wasn’t decided until the final buzzer.

The Champions: Hungary

Hungary took home the gold medal and earned promotion to Division I, Group A for 2027. Their path to victory was dramatic:

• They started strong with three straight wins, including a crucial 4–3 overtime thriller against Poland.

• They stumbled late with a 4–1 loss to the hosts, Italy, which threw the standings into a three-way race on the final day.

• In the deciding game on December 14, Hungary left no doubt by crushing Japan 6–1, securing 11 points and the top spot.

Hungary earned promotion to Division I, Group A for 2027

Final Standings

The tournament was incredibly balanced, with the top four teams separated by only three points.

Top Performers

• Top Scorer: Estonia’s David Timofejev dominated the stat sheet with 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists) in just 5 games.

• Best Forward: Maksim Burkov (Estonia), who finished second in scoring with 9 points.

• Hungary’s Hero: Ferenc Laskawy scored 5 goals throughout the tournament, including two in the final gold-medal-clinching game.

• Top Goaltender: Poland’s Igor Tyczynski led the tournament with a .930 save percentage.

Relegation Heartbreak

Despite a massive 4–1 upset over the eventual champions (Hungary) on the penultimate day, Italy finished last with only 3 points. Because they failed to secure points in their other matchups, the hosts will be relegated to Division II, Group A for the 2027 season.

The 2026 IIHF U20 World Championship Division I, Group A was held from December 7 to 13, 2025, in the picturesque town of Bled, Slovenia. Norway emerged as the undisputed powerhouse of the tournament, ending the week with a perfect record and a ticket back to the elite World Junior Championship.

The Champions: Norway

Norway dominated the division, finishing with 14 points and a 5–0 record (four regulation wins and one overtime win). Their offense was lethal, racking up 37 goals—more than double most other teams in the field.

The highlight of their campaign was a massive 10–2 statement win over Kazakhstan, which effectively secured their promotion. Having missed out on the top tier for two years, the Norwegians proved they are once again ready to compete with the world’s best.

Norwegians ready to compete with the world’s best.

Final Standings

Individual Standouts

The tournament’s scoring race was a battle between Kazakhstan’s top talent and the depth of the Norwegian and Austrian rosters:

• Top Scorers: Kornei Korneyev (Kazakhstan) and Konstantin Hutzinger (Austria) tied for the lead with 12 points each.

• Best Forward: Tinus Luc Koblar (Norway) – The Maple Leafs prospect was the engine of the Norwegian offense, finishing with 10 points and a +10 rating.

• Best Defender: Jan Golicic (Slovenia) – The local favorite and Lightning prospect lived up to the hype, leading all defensemen in playmaking and poise.

• Best Goalkeeper: Albert Englund (Norway) – He anchored the champion’s defense with a .922 save percentage and only eight goals allowed in four starts.

Tournament Highlights

• The Comeback of the Tournament: On the final day, Kazakhstan trailed Austria 4–0 midway through the first period. In a miraculous turnaround, they scored five unanswered goals to win 5–4, snatching the silver medal away from the Austrians.

• Ukraine’s Strong Entry: Competing in Group A for the first time in over a decade, Ukraine made an immediate impact with a shocking 2–1 overtime win against Kazakhstan on opening night.

• French Relegation: France struggled to find their footing in Bled, managing only a single point from an overtime loss to the hosts. They will compete in Division I Group B (Milano) next year.