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
| Rank | Team | Record (W-L) | Points | Status |
| 1 | Kyrgyzstan | 5–0 | 15 | Promoted to Group A |
| 2 | Hong Kong | 4–1 | 12 | Silver Medal |
| 3 | Mexico | 3–2 | 9 | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | Luxembourg | 2–3 | 6 | |
| 5 | South Africa | 1–4 | 3 | |
| 6 | Iran | 0–5 | 0 |
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).
