The 2026 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship in Switzerland reached a fever pitch on May 25, 2026, as teams scrambled to secure their positions in the standings before the close of the preliminary round. With the quarterfinals looming this Thursday, today’s slate of games was defined by high-stakes battles for survival and desperate pushes for playoff qualification, leaving fans with a day of intense, high-octane hockey action across the host cities of Zurich and Fribourg.
Norway off to the Quarter Finals.
Group A
Venue: Swiss Life Arena, Zurich
🇺🇸 United States 7, 🇭🇺 Hungary 3
The Americans kept their quarterfinal aspirations alive with a commanding offensive performance. Matthew Tkachuk led the charge with a standout game, while Tommy Novak proved lethal as a playmaker. The U.S. jumped to an early lead and maintained control throughout, ensuring they remain in the hunt for a spot in the top eight heading into their final preliminary match.
🇩🇪 Germany 6, 🇬🇧 Great Britain 3
Germany kept their slim quarterfinal hopes on life support with a determined victory over Great Britain. The Germans dominated early, netting three goals in the first period to set the tone, though Great Britain managed to find the back of the net three times in response. While the win was necessary, Germany’s path to the playoffs now relies on favorable outcomes in other matches on Tuesday.
Group B
Venue: BCF Arena, Fribourg
🇳🇴 Norway 4, 🇨🇿 Czechia 1
In a historic result that shifted the dynamics of the group, Norway delivered a clinical performance to dismantle Czechia. With this victory, Norway has officially qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time in 14 years. Their disciplined defensive structure and opportunistic scoring—including a pair of goals from Michael Brandsegg-Nygard—capped a momentous day for the Norwegian program as they look ahead to the playoff stage.
🇸🇮 Slovenia 5, 🇮🇹 Italy 1
This matchup carried immense weight, with both teams fighting to solidify their standings and avoid the pitfalls of the lower table. Slovenia put together their most complete effort of the tournament, relying on a balanced scoring attack and a stingy defense to cruise past Italy. The victory serves as a major morale booster for the Slovenian side after a challenging run in the tournament.
