After a successful first round of tournaments in November, nine teams will gather for three tournaments this week from 10 – 14 December. For four teams, it will be the last chance to evaluate European-based players in their national team colours before they name their Olympic rosters.

The three tournaments are as follows:

Group F – Banska Bystrica, SVK
Slovakia, Latvia, Norway

Group G – Budapest, HUN
Hungary, France, Poland, Italy

Group H – Bucharest, ROM
Romania, Ukraine

Designed to turn international breaks into a platform for meaningful and competitive national team games, the European Cup of Nations is one of the cornerstone initiatives under the IIHF’s ICE26 strategic plan.

After this second round of tournaments, the third round of this initial European Cup of Nations season will take place in February. 

A closer look at the three upcoming events:

Group F – Banska Bystrica, SVK

This tournament is the annual Christmas Cup that Slovakia hosts this time of year. All three teams are taking rosters of what are essentially their best European-based players, with the Slovaks and Latvians bound for the Olympics.

Back in November, Slovakia and Latvia finished second and third, respectively, at the Deutschland Cup in Germany, with Slovakia winning their head-to-head meeting 4-1. Norway finished third out of four teams in France.

Schedule:

10 December
18:00 – Slovakia vs. Norway

11 December
18:00 – Norway vs. Latvia

12 December
18:00 – Slovakia vs Latvia

Group G – Budapest, HUN

Tuskecsarnok in Budapest is the scene of a four-team tournament, where the host Hungarians welcome France, Poland and Italy. Like Slovakia and Latvia, France and Italy will both be playing in the Olympics and will use this event to get one last look at players.

France hosted and won a four-team event in Epinal in November, which also included Hungary. In their head-to-head meeting, however, Hungary won 6-4 after the French already had first place wrapped up. Poland also won on home ice in November, ahead of Italy, Great Britain and Slovenia. Italy finished second at that event, with Poland taking their head-to-head meeting 4-2.

Schedule:

12 December
15:00 – Poland vs. France
19:00 – Hungary vs. Italy

13 December
15:00 – Italy vs Poland
19:00 – Hungary vs. France

14 December
12:30 – France vs. Italy
16:30 – Hungary vs. Poland

Group H – Bucharest, ROM

Berenci Arena in Bucharest will host a three-game series between Romania and Ukraine this week. When the two teams met at the 2025 IIHF World Championship Division 1 Group A in Romania last April, Ukraine won 4-0 before a sell-out crowd in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Both teams were in Lithuania in November, where the host team won the three-team tournament, with Ukraine finishing second and Romania third. Ukraine won their head-to-head meeting 4-1.

Schedule:

11 December
19:30 – Romania vs. Ukraine

12 December
19:30 – Ukraine vs. Romania

13 December
19:30 – Romania vs. Ukraine

All games in all three tournaments will be broadcast live on IIHF TV, bringing fans worldwide closer to top-level international hockey action beyond the annual World Championships.