Sports court orders IIHF to readmit Russia to ice hockey events, federation disappointed

The ruling

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based in Lausanne, has overturned International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) decisions that excluded Russia from events in the 2026-27 season. In a statement issued on Friday, 30 October 2026, the court said the IIHF had not shown enough evidence for the security concerns behind its exclusion. The ruling takes effect immediately and lets the Russian Ice Hockey Federation enter a national team in all IIHF championships. The case was brought by the Russian federation, and a hearing took place in late October 2026. The IIHF had already extended the ban in January 2026 and reaffirmed it in July 2026.

Five tournaments back on the calendar

The ruling names five events that Russia can now enter. The first is the men's World Junior Championship, which opens in Edmonton on 26 December 2026 and runs to 5 January 2027. The women's U18 championship in the Czech Republic follows from 8 to 16 January 2027, and the men's U18 championship in the United States runs from 22 April to 2 May 2027. The men's World Championship in Germany is scheduled from 14 to 30 May 2027, and the women's World Championship in Canada is set for November 2027.

Reactions from the IIHF and Germany

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov welcomed the verdict on Telegram, saying CAS had found the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation justified on key points. The IIHF voiced disappointment and maintained that its decisions were needed to protect safety and the integrity of its competitions. It also said it would comply with the court's verdict, even though the concerns behind its assessments remain.

“While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments.”

Germany's ice hockey association, the DEB, also expressed disappointment. Its chairman, Frank Lutz, stated the association's position without qualification.

“Our position is unchanged: We reject the return of Russian national teams to international ice hockey tournaments.”

Background to the ban

The IIHF has kept Russian teams out of its tournaments since shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. That exclusion also meant Russia missed the Olympic hockey tournaments in Milan in 2026. Russia and its predecessor, the Soviet Union, have won 27 men's World Championships, second only to Canada with 28.

Canada28

Russia and Soviet Union27

Canada

28 titles

Russia and Soviet Union

27 titles

Data from the article text

The ruling comes shortly after the IIHF elected a new president.

Open questions

The IIHF said bringing Russian teams back requires revised competition formats, calendars, travel and accommodation arrangements, and security measures. It stressed that preparations for some championships are already well advanced and that the ruling does not address these practical aspects. The IIHF said it will urgently assess the measures and time needed to implement the decision. According to reporting on the statement, the court did not decide whether Russian athletes must compete under a neutral flag without national symbols, or set other organisational conditions.