IIHF Reverses Ban on Russian Teams

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has reversed its decision to ban Russian teams from its 2026-27 competitions. Initially banned since 2022 due to the Ukraine invasion, the decision has now been revisited. Russia's eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis moving forward.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has announced a reversal of its previous decision to prohibit Russian national and club teams from participating in its 2026-27 competitions.

The ban had been in place since 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, affecting major competitions including the world championships. The decision came as the IIHF aims to reconsider Russia's eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

Despite reanalyzing the issue in January and maintaining the ban due to safety and security concerns, the IIHF council's decision was recently annulled by its disciplinary board after an appeal by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. Russia will now face reviews for competition eligibility on an individual event basis.