Ukraine's opponents at the World Hockey Championship have been determined

The Ukrainian national hockey team has learned who its opponents will be in the group stage of the 2027 World Championship, which will be hosted by Germany. 

This was reported by Glavkom.

The groupings were officially determined based on the updated world rankings of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Thanks to its successful performance at the 2026 World Championship in Division IA, the Ukrainian team was able to move up a division and, after a long hiatus, made a triumphant return to the world hockey elite. Along with the “blue-and-yellows,” the Kazakhstani national team earned a spot in the top division, while Great Britain and Italy were relegated from the elite group.

Based on the seeding results, Ukraine was placed in Group A. Our team will face a series of matches against formidable opponents, including the reigning world champion—Finland, the silver medalist of the world championship—Switzerland, as well as the strong national teams of Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, Austria, and Slovenia.

Full lineup of the 2027 World Hockey Championship groups:

• Group A: Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, Austria, Slovenia, Ukraine.

• Group B: Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Kazakhstan.

Ukraine’s promotion to the elite division was accompanied by intense sporting drama on the final day of Division IA play. The fate of the spot depended on a concurrent match between the national teams of Lithuania and Poland. For the Ukrainians to succeed, the Polish team (which was the main rival of the “blue-and-yellows”) had to drop points and not win the match in regulation time. At the same time, a tie in regulation was necessary for the Lithuanians to remain in the division. In the end, the high-stakes matchup ended 1-1 after three periods, automatically eliminating Poland’s chances of promotion and sending Ukraine to the elite division. In overtime, Lithuania snatched a 2-1 victory, after which an emotional joint celebration took place in the locker room between the Lithuanian hockey players and the Ukrainian national team.

The Ukrainian national team confidently defeated Poland in Malder’s first match.

Ukraine’s head coach Andrea Maldera officially outlined his strategic vision for the national team’s development under his leadership. 

Zabarnyi became the fourth Ukrainian to win the Champions League.