The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy wrapped up just last month, with the United States men’s national ice hockey team defeating the Canada men’s national ice hockey team 2-1 in overtime to win gold.
With that tournament now in the books, attention is already shifting to the next major best-on-best event, the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. However, a major complication has already emerged involving Russia.
Three Nations Oppose Russia’s Participation in 2028 World Cup of Hockey
At this point, the full lineup for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey has not been finalized. However, the likely participants are expected to include traditional powers such as Canada, the United States, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Germany. That would leave one remaining spot, with Slovakia or Russia the most likely options.
However, according to hockey reporter Robert Rampa, the hockey federations of Finland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic have already informed the National Hockey League that they will not take part in the tournament if Russia is invited.
The primary reason cited by these countries involves both security concerns and moral objections tied to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. For several European nations, the situation is viewed as a direct regional security issue rather than a distant political conflict.
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By making it clear they could withdraw, these three nations, all considered part of hockey’s traditional elite, have put significant pressure on the National Hockey League and tournament organizers. Without them, the idea of a true “best-on-best” event would be seriously weakened.
Russia has been excluded from several international events since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including the IIHF World Championship, the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Gary Bettman has previously indicated that the league plans to follow the lead of the wider international sports community on the matter. “We will follow what the international community is doing in terms of athletics. I don’t see any need for us to weigh in separately,” Bettman said.
“And frankly, in terms of our game and our players, wherever they’re from, if we can steer clear of geopolitical issues, not just this one but a whole host of others that are going on, I think that’s better for the game, better for our players and better for our fans.”
If the International Ice Hockey Federation and key European nations hold their stance, the National Hockey League may have to exclude Russia, with Slovakia likely taking the final spot.
