For the first time in 19 years, the Ukrainian national ice hockey team will compete at the highest level. Dmytro Khrystych’s side have secured a historic opportunity to return to the top division of the World Championship, having finished as one of the top teams in Group IA following the final round of matches.
To achieve this goal, Poland needed to drop points in their match against Lithuania, as the Ukrainians had beaten Japan to move into second place. Everything then hinged on the Poland v Lithuania game. The Baltic side managed to secure an overtime victory against the hosts.
Ukraine has reached the elite of world hockey for the first time since 2007. In total, the “blue and yellows” spent nine seasons in the elite division between 1999 and 2007, with their best result being 9th place at the 2002 World Championship.
After the “blue and yellows” were relegated to Division IB in 2007, the team spent several decades in the lower leagues.
Stages of Ukraine’s participation in international ice hockey tournaments:
- 2007 — relegation from the top division
- 2008–2009 — Division IB
- 2010–2012 — Division IA
- 2013–2017 — alternating between Divisions IB and IA
- 2018–2024 — in Division IB
- 2025–2026 — return to Division IA, culminating in promotion to the elite division
A detailed schedule of Division IA matches for the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship has previously been published.
