IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship

Date: 2024.12.26 - 2025.01.05
Location: Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place, Ottawa, Canada

International Ice Hockey Federation is the global governing body of the sport, which organizes a number of competitive events and tournaments in different parts of the world. One such global tournament is the IIHF World Junior Championship, commonly known as the World Juniors. The competition is an under-20 Ice Hockey tournament with all the major Ice Hockey member countries participating.


Current Champions:

The United States secured their sixth championship by beating the hosts Sweden 6-2 in the final match on January 5th, 2024.


History:

The junior-level Ice Hockey tournaments started at the international level in the early 1970s. However, it was not until 1977 that the first ever official Ice Hockey tournament was held. Since then, 46 editions have been held, with Canada and Russia dominating the competition’s history.

The tournament is particularly famous in Canada, where it is regarded as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the sports calendar. Great Coverage from the media, High-attendance rates, and exemplary enthusiasm for the tournament characterize the IIHF World Junior Championship in Canada.


Hosts:

Over the years, a number of countries have hosted the tournament. Canada tops the chart after serving as the host to the tournament 16 times. The massive interest in the event in the Canadian territories is one of the biggest reasons that different Canadian cities have hosted the competition so often. On the other hand, Sweden, the USA, and Finland have hosted the tournament 6 times each.


Format:

The format of the IIHF World Junior Championship is an interesting one, as there are multiple divisions and tiers of the tournament. The main competition in the IIHF World Junior Championship takes place among the Top-division, which includes the top-10 ranked Ice Hockey teams.

In addition to the top division, other divisions of the tournament include Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3. Separate matches are held in these divisions, and the competition involves promotion and relegation on a broader level.


Past Winners / Medal Tally:

Canada:

Canada has been the most successful team in the history of the competition. The Canadian Ice Hockey junior team has won the World Juniors on a record 19 occasions. In addition to winning 20 gold medals at the tournament, the Canadian team has also won 10 silver medals and 5 bronze medals at the competition.

Ice Hockey is the national winter sport in Canada and is widely followed by fans of all age groups. This massive following of the sport is the major reason behind emphatic performances.

Soviet Union / Russia:

Soviet Union won the IIHF World Junior Championship 8 times before splitting into a number of countries. Since the fall of the soviet empire, Russia has also won the IIHF World Junior Championship 4 times. Russia has won 10 silver medals as well.

USA – United States of America:

The USA has won the IIHF World Junior Championship six times. In addition to the five gold medals, the American team has also won 2 silver and 6 bronze medals at the tournament.

Finland:

Finland has won 5 Gold and 5 Silver Medals over the years and is the third most successful side in the history of the tournament.

Sweden and the Czech Republic:

Sweden and the Czech Republic are the only other teams to win the IIHF World Junior Championship. Both have won the tournament twice.