The International Ice Hockey Federation has reversed a previous decision to ban Russia from all 2026-27 competitions, and will now decide Russia’s eligibility on an event-by-event basis.
The #IIHF has issued an update regarding Russia’s participation in the 2026–2027 Championship season.
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Read the full statement: https://t.co/mnw3P6mEFv pic.twitter.com/PG043JywhD
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 29, 2026
The IIHF council determined on Jan. 21, 2026, not to reintegrate Russia into competition, listing safety and security concerns as the primary factors. That decision was appealed by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation shortly after.
Wednesday, the IIHF Disciplinary Board issued its decision and annulled the Council’s previous decision.
The next tournament that Russia could participate in is the IIHF Women’s World Championship in November, followed by the World Junior Championship in December.
The IIHF originally banned Russia from international competition on Feb. 28, 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine.
The NHL’s connection with Russia has been hard to avoid, with nearly 7% of players coming from Russia. Even with that connection, fans and former players alike have called for more direct action from the IIHF and the NHL.
Hall of Fame goalie Dominik Hasek even called for the NHL to ban all Russian players unless they speak out against the war.
The decision drew significant criticism on social media, as it came directly after NATO announced that a Russian drone crashed in Romania.
