Ambassadors of the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship, Marian Gaborik and Marian Hossa, have donated 1,000 tickets to young players from youth clubs in both host cities of the tournament. The first batch of 500 tickets was handed out on Wednesday at the Vladimir Dzurilla Ice Arena in Bratislava’s Ruzinov district, together with the mascot Tatrik. The same number of tickets will also be distributed to children from the Dukla Trencin youth club.
Both ambassadors took part in U18 tournaments at the beginning of their careers. Hossa played in two European Championships in 1996 and 1997, while Gaborik, three years younger, also competed at the first-ever 1999 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship in Germany, where Slovakia’s young team won bronze medals. Gaborik recorded 11 points in seven games and returned to the tournament a year later in Switzerland. As these international events played a key role in shaping their careers, both players were delighted to accept the role of ambassadors for this year’s championship in Slovakia.
“It feels like I’ve returned here to Ruzinov after a hundred years. We’re happy to be here and to give the kids tickets. They were really excited. I hope they come, support the teams, and learn a lot by watching the games,” said Gaborik, who had not visited the arena since his youth days, when he travelled across Slovakia with Dukla Trencin junior teams.
“The success we achieved at the Olympics will carry over into this championship. I believe not only children, but Slovaks in general will follow the tournament. Boys and girls who love hockey can take this opportunity to see where they could one day get to,” he added.
The two Marians were in high demand on their name day. After handing out the tickets, dozens of children rushed towards them for autographs and photos. The legendary players signed jerseys, helmets, pieces of hockey equipment, phone cases, and even tickets. As Hossa said with a smile, he had not signed so many autographs in such a short time in a long while.
“Especially not on the ice, since I haven’t been there for quite some time. It was great to see the kids’ enthusiasm. When the mascot started throwing tickets into the crowd, they were overjoyed,” said the three-time Stanley Cup champion. He also returned to Ruzinov after nearly three decades. “I hadn’t been to this arena since around 1998. It was nice to come back, relive some childhood memories, give out tickets, and see the joy on the kids’ faces. We are really looking forward to this championship in Slovakia,” he added.
The support from hockey legends ahead of the major event is also appreciated by organizing committee chairman Roman Sykora.
“Marian Hossa and Marian Gaborik are major figures in Slovak hockey. We are pleased that they have taken on the role of ambassadors for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship in our country. It is a major event returning to Slovakia after nine years and represents a starting line for the best U18 players from around the world on their path to professional hockey. We are doing everything we can to make it a memorable experience for everyone involved, and we greatly appreciate the support of such iconic figures in our hockey history,” he said.