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
| Rank | Team | Record (W-OTW-OTL-L) | Points | Status |
| 1 | South Korea | 5–0–0–0 | 15 | Promoted to Div I B |
| 2 | Great Britain | 3–1–0–1 | 11 | Silver Medal |
| 3 | Croatia | 2–1–0–2 | 8 | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | Romania (H) | 1–1–1–2 | 6 | |
| 5 | China | 1–0–2–2 | 5 | |
| 6 | Spain | 0–0–0–5 | 0 | Relegated to Div II B |
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.
