Things are becoming concrete: The schedule has been confirmed, anticipation is growing and the exciting phase is beginning for fans. At a press event at the Düsseldorf Dome today, Monday, the schedule for the IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ was unveiled. It is now clear when and where the world’s best ice hockey nations will compete for the world champion’s title next May. The tournament will take place in Düsseldorf and Mannheim from 14 to 30 May 2027. The opening game will be played on 13 May at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
For fans, this means that anticipation is finally turning into a concrete plan. When will my team play? Which top-class matchups await in the preliminary round? And, above all, when can fans experience the highlights of the IIHF World Championship 2027 live? With the publication of the schedule, fans now have answers to all these questions – and the countdown to the next phase of ticket sales has begun.
A puzzle with numerous requirements
A great deal of detailed work was required before the 64 games could be finalised.
The field is made up of the 14 highest-ranked nations from the IIHF World Championship 2026 and the two teams promoted from the IIHF World Championship 2026, Division I Group A, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The two groups of eight teams each are not drawn at random. Instead, they are formed according to the so-called Šubrt, or snake, system, based on the IIHF World Ranking. The teams are distributed between the two groups according to their positions in the World Ranking to create the most balanced possible seeding.
The two public holidays (17 and 27 May) during the IIHF World Championship 2027 were also taken into consideration, as were the days without games on 26 and 28 May, when the teams will travel for the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
For the Organising Committee of the IIHF World Championship 2027, the appeal of individual fixtures is another important factor, as the schedule also influences ticket sales. The preliminary round includes a number of attractive regional rivalries, including Switzerland against Germany, Finland against Sweden, Denmark against Norway, Czechia against Slovakia and Canada against the United States.
Approval required from multiple parties
The opening game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen has been moved out of the Mannheim group. As a result, Mannheim will host 29 rather than 30 preliminary round games, while one of the three-game days at the venue has been removed.
Claus Gröbner, Managing Director of the Organising Committee of the IIHF World Championship 2027: “Creating a schedule for the IIHF World Championship is like putting together a puzzle with hundreds of pieces, and every single one has to fit. If one game moves, several others often have to move as well. Different requirements have to align. Now the schedule is set, which means we can finally show fans when and where they can experience their highlights. We are delighted to finally launch the sale of daily ticket packages. Given the strong demand already seen during the presale for the opening game, we also expect high demand overall. Fans should therefore not wait until the last minute to secure their seats, as arena capacities are limited. The opportunity to register and take part in the upcoming presale offers a unique chance to secure tickets early.”
Matti Nurminen, Secretary General of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF): “Agreeing a schedule for a IIHF World Championship featuring 16 nations and 64 games is a major undertaking. It is therefore particularly remarkable how quickly the final version for the IIHF World Championship 2027 was found and approved by everyone involved. This was one of the fastest schedule approvals and is testament to the excellent cooperation between all partners.”
Registered fans get a 48-hour head start
With the schedule now confirmed, the next important phase of ticket sales gets underway. Only now do fans know exactly when their teams will play and can plan their visits to the IIHF World Championship 2027 accordingly.
For the first time, day tickets for the entire preliminary round of the IIHF World Championship 2027 will be available via the official website 2027.iihfworlds.com/tickets. Public transport is included for all ticket holders.
Fans who register at short notice will gain exclusive access to the day tickets being offered for the first time from 11 a.m. on 9 September – giving them a 48-hour head start before the regular advance sale begins at 11 a.m. on 11 September.
The cheapest day packages are available from EUR 69 in Düsseldorf and from EUR 79 in Mannheim. Standing-room tickets will also be available for game days featuring Germany.
A special offer is available for families: A maximum of five tickets can be booked in dedicated sections per shopping cart at a discounted price. Bookings must include a combination of at least one full-price ticket and one reduced ticket. A maximum of three reduced tickets for children and juniors aged six to 17 and a maximum of four full-price adult tickets can be selected.
A maximum of six tickets per account can be purchased for game days involving Germany, while the limit for all other game days is ten tickets.
The IIHF World Championship Germany 2027 will take place in Düsseldorf and Mannheim from 14 to 30 May 2027. The opening game will be played at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on 13 May. A total of 16 nations will compete for the world champion’s title. Group A with the German national team will play its preliminary round games in Mannheim, while Group B will be hosted in Düsseldorf. The final round games – the two semi-finals, the bronze medal game and the gold medal game – will take place in Düsseldorf as well.
The full game schedule for the IIHF World Championship 2027 is available here: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2027/wm/schedule
For fans, this means that anticipation is finally turning into a concrete plan. When will my team play? Which top-class matchups await in the preliminary round? And, above all, when can fans experience the highlights of the IIHF World Championship 2027 live? With the publication of the schedule, fans now have answers to all these questions – and the countdown to the next phase of ticket sales has begun.
A puzzle with numerous requirements
A great deal of detailed work was required before the 64 games could be finalised.
The field is made up of the 14 highest-ranked nations from the IIHF World Championship 2026 and the two teams promoted from the IIHF World Championship 2026, Division I Group A, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The two groups of eight teams each are not drawn at random. Instead, they are formed according to the so-called Šubrt, or snake, system, based on the IIHF World Ranking. The teams are distributed between the two groups according to their positions in the World Ranking to create the most balanced possible seeding.
The two public holidays (17 and 27 May) during the IIHF World Championship 2027 were also taken into consideration, as were the days without games on 26 and 28 May, when the teams will travel for the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
For the Organising Committee of the IIHF World Championship 2027, the appeal of individual fixtures is another important factor, as the schedule also influences ticket sales. The preliminary round includes a number of attractive regional rivalries, including Switzerland against Germany, Finland against Sweden, Denmark against Norway, Czechia against Slovakia and Canada against the United States.
Approval required from multiple parties
The opening game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen has been moved out of the Mannheim group. As a result, Mannheim will host 29 rather than 30 preliminary round games, while one of the three-game days at the venue has been removed.
Claus Gröbner, Managing Director of the Organising Committee of the IIHF World Championship 2027: “Creating a schedule for the IIHF World Championship is like putting together a puzzle with hundreds of pieces, and every single one has to fit. If one game moves, several others often have to move as well. Different requirements have to align. Now the schedule is set, which means we can finally show fans when and where they can experience their highlights. We are delighted to finally launch the sale of daily ticket packages. Given the strong demand already seen during the presale for the opening game, we also expect high demand overall. Fans should therefore not wait until the last minute to secure their seats, as arena capacities are limited. The opportunity to register and take part in the upcoming presale offers a unique chance to secure tickets early.”
Matti Nurminen, Secretary General of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF): “Agreeing a schedule for a IIHF World Championship featuring 16 nations and 64 games is a major undertaking. It is therefore particularly remarkable how quickly the final version for the IIHF World Championship 2027 was found and approved by everyone involved. This was one of the fastest schedule approvals and is testament to the excellent cooperation between all partners.”
Registered fans get a 48-hour head start
With the schedule now confirmed, the next important phase of ticket sales gets underway. Only now do fans know exactly when their teams will play and can plan their visits to the IIHF World Championship 2027 accordingly.
For the first time, day tickets for the entire preliminary round of the IIHF World Championship 2027 will be available via the official website 2027.iihfworlds.com/tickets. Public transport is included for all ticket holders.
Fans who register at short notice will gain exclusive access to the day tickets being offered for the first time from 11 a.m. on 9 September – giving them a 48-hour head start before the regular advance sale begins at 11 a.m. on 11 September.
The cheapest day packages are available from EUR 69 in Düsseldorf and from EUR 79 in Mannheim. Standing-room tickets will also be available for game days featuring Germany.
A special offer is available for families: A maximum of five tickets can be booked in dedicated sections per shopping cart at a discounted price. Bookings must include a combination of at least one full-price ticket and one reduced ticket. A maximum of three reduced tickets for children and juniors aged six to 17 and a maximum of four full-price adult tickets can be selected.
A maximum of six tickets per account can be purchased for game days involving Germany, while the limit for all other game days is ten tickets.
The IIHF World Championship Germany 2027 will take place in Düsseldorf and Mannheim from 14 to 30 May 2027. The opening game will be played at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen on 13 May. A total of 16 nations will compete for the world champion’s title. Group A with the German national team will play its preliminary round games in Mannheim, while Group B will be hosted in Düsseldorf. The final round games – the two semi-finals, the bronze medal game and the gold medal game – will take place in Düsseldorf as well.
The full game schedule for the IIHF World Championship 2027 is available here: https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2027/wm/schedule