Russia may take Ukraine's place at the 2027 Ice Hockey World Championships.
This is Ukraine's elite point, achieved for the first time in 20 years.
On October 30, 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ordered the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to reinstate the Russian national teams to international tournaments in the 2026/27 season, including the 2027 World Championship.
Ukraine finished second in Division IA in May 2026 on sportsmanship, and for the first time in 20 years, earned a place in the elite rankings of the 2027 Worlds. It has already been officially placed in Group A.
According to the internal rules of the IIHF adopted in 2022, teams returning from suspension, Russia and Belarus, must take places in the top league, while the total number of participants (16 teams) is strictly limited by the regulations. Given that Ukraine have moved up to the Elite from last place in the qualifiers, they are officially the main candidates for elimination if the format is strictly adhered to.
The federation has not yet announced a final decision on the structure of participants for the 2027 Worlds, but there is also the possibility that Ukraine could keep its place.
The regulations for the 2027 tournament in Germany may be written in a flash: increase the number of teams to 17 or 18.
This would resolve the conflict but would require a complete overhaul of the schedule, host logistics and increasing the number of games.
The organizers will also have to address security issues and the separation of the Russian and Ukrainian teams into separate groups if both participate in the tournament.