Stars & Favorites: Everything about the Ice Hockey World Championship

Where is the game played? The World Cup will be held in Stockholm and Herning, Denmark. Germany will play in Group B in Herning. Group A, including host Sweden, will play its matches in Stockholm. Like Herning, two quarterfinals will be held in the Swedish capital. The semifinals, the third-place match, and the final will also take place at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm.

What is the mode? The preliminary round will be played in two groups of eight. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals and play in a knockout format. The two teams with the lowest points total will be relegated.

Who are the favorites? Host Denmark during training in Herning. © ANSA / Bo Amstrup

The 2026 Olympics will provide a strong field of teams. Therefore, there is no clear favorite this year. Record world champions Canada, hosts Sweden, Finland, the USA, and defending champions Czech Republic are all worth mentioning. But surprises like last year's finalist Switzerland or the German team in 2023 are always possible.

Which stars are there? Superstar Sidney Crosby is aiming for his second World Cup title with Canada. The 37-year-old from the Pittsburgh Penguins last participated in Canada's victory in 2015. Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche also strengthens the offense of the record-breaking world champions. The forward was the second-leading scorer in the recent NHL regular season with 32 goals and 84 assists. World champions Czech Republic will travel to Denmark with David Pastrnak from the Boston Bruins. Last year's final scorer, like Draisaitl, has 106 points in the NHL. With Seider, Germany also has a world-class player.

What else is important at the World Cup? The 2026 Olympics in Milan are already a big topic of conversation, especially among the top teams. For the first time since 2014, NHL stars will compete for Olympic gold next February. Germany has already qualified for the Olympics. Due to Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus remain excluded from the title competition.

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Stars & Favorites: Everything about the Ice Hockey World Championship

The Ice Hockey World Championship begins in Denmark and Sweden on Friday. Here's everything you need to know.

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