Hockey World Championship - the best national team tournament
The Hockey World Championship is the top-division professional association ice hockey tournament in the international arena. Formed in 1920, the Hockey World Championship was created by clubs under the umbrella of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The IIHF ranks highly among the ice hockey world. Teams in the Hockey World Championship will be divided into two groups, and each team will play 7 games, one against every other team in its group. Thus, a total of 56 games will be played in the preliminary round. Each team that reaches the finals will play 3 more games in the playoffs. The total number of games in the tournament is 64 games. 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw (at the conclusion of regulation time), and 0 points for a loss. If teams are level on points, the tie-breakers are the number of wins, then the goal difference, followed by several other factors such as goals scored in the preliminary round and seeding coming into the tournament.
Best National Teams
As of 2023, Team Canada holds the record for the most World Cup of Hockey victories, winning a total of 28 titles. The Canadians earned their last victory in 2023, defeating Team Germany in the final.
Other notable teams that have topped the podium in different years include Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Finland, and the United States, making them part of the elite circle in the world of hockey.
What's coming up for us in the next tournament
16 teams will compete in the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship, which will be held in the Czech Republic from 10 to 26 May 2024. The championship will be held in two host cities, Prague and Ostrava. Group B competitions will be held at the Ostrava Arena in Ostrava, Czech Republic, while Group A matches will be held in Prague.
How to get a team into the Hockey World Championship
In 2001, the IIHF reorganized the hierarchy of the World Championships, replacing "pools" with "divisions," and countries outside the top 40 were placed in Division II to qualify for the following year. In 2022, some teams qualified as hosts or automatically qualified teams after canceling the 2021 IIHF lower division championships. Winning this tournament brings players and coaches closer to the opportunity to enter the Triple Gold Club, which includes winners of the Olympic Games, World Cup of Hockey, and Stanley Cup.
Top players
The Hockey World Championship all-time top ice-hockey scorer is Boris Mikhailov, who holds the record for the most points scored in the tournament's history, amassing 164 points for the Soviet Union. In terms of prize money, the IIHF World Championship does not officially provide prize money for teams or players. However, players receive guaranteed prize money depending on their team's position, which is provided by their national associations.