The Ice Hockey World Championship begins in Tampere and Riga on Friday. For Germany it is also about the Olympic qualification for 2026.
The Ice Hockey World Championships in Finland and Latvia begin on Friday. The German team starts against the eleven-time world champion Sweden (7.20 p.m. / Sport1 and MagentaSport).
Where is the game played?
The World Championships will be held in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia. Germany plays in Group A in Tampere. The final weekend with the semi-finals, match for third place and the final will also take place here on the Whitsun weekend. For a possible quarter-final, the selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation would have to travel to Riga.
What’s the mode?
The preliminary round is played in two groups of eight. The top four teams from both groups qualify for the quarter-finals. The bottom two from each group have to take part in the B World Championship next year.
What are the chances for Germany?
Germany has a new coach: Harold Kreis (64). His predecessor Toni Söderholm surprisingly left DEB early last November despite a valid contract. The long-standing DEL coach Kreis has numerous injuries to complain about. Nevertheless, the minimum goal is the quarterfinals. That’s also realistic. In the past six World Cup tournaments, the German team did not make it into the last eight just once. In 2021 you were in the semifinals.
Who are the German preliminary round opponents?
The opening program in particular has it all. After the opener against Sweden, Germany has to play against defending champions and hosts Finland just 24 hours later, then it’s on to the USA. There is a high risk of having zero points after three games and having to win against Denmark, France, Hungary and Austria.
Who are the favourites?
The top favorite is host Finland. The German preliminary round opponent won two of the last three world championships and came second once. In addition, coach Jukka Jalonen’s team became Olympic champions last year. The Swedes, record world champions Canada and the Czech Republic also have good chances.
Which stars are there?
Like every year, some top players are still active in the playoffs of the North American professional league NHL. Nevertheless, there are a number of prominent names. Among the Finns, striker Mikko Rantanen from last year’s Stanley Cup winner Colorado stands out. The Swedes also have a wide range of stars with 113 NHL players. Top talent Lucas Raymond’s participation in the World Cup has been confirmed so far. His team colleague from Detroit, Moritz Seider, also lends some glamor to the German selection. The 22-year-old was voted the World Cup’s best defender in 2021. The US squad includes two-time Stanley Cup champion Nick Bonino.
Where can you see the games?
All German games and knockout games are shown on free TV on Sport1 and streamed by MagentaSport for a fee. You can also watch other World Cup games on the pay TV channel Sport1+.
What else is important at the World Cup?
This world championship decides on the direct Olympic qualification for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan. To be sure, Germany must be among the top eight nations in the world rankings after the World Cup. Germany is currently ninth. If they don’t do better than Slovakia or Switzerland, they would probably have to play a qualifying tournament in August 2024. On the fringes of the World Cup, the World Cup 2027, for which Germany is applying, will also be awarded. The competitor is Kazakhstan, Germany is the favorite. Dealing with Russia and Belarus will also be discussed again. Both nations are excluded from World Cups because of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The Scandinavian countries in particular want it to stay that way.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
