A new format for IIHF lower division tournaments is to be trialled for the first time this season. The updated competition structure will apply to six-team tournaments. Three events – men’s Division IIA, Division IV and U18 men’s Division IIIB – will be the first to test the new set-up, which will have head-to-head clashes determining promotion and relegation on the final day.

The new competition structure has been developed by the IIHF Sport Department over the last couple of years. It is intended to create a championship feel with a playoff format at all levels.

At the same time, every team will play the same number of games as before, and tournaments will still fit into a seven-day schedule with five game days and two rest days.

Trial Events in 2026

The new format will divide the six competing teams into two groups of three. These will play a round robin tournament, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals and the third-placed teams going into a relegation playoff.

The structure will be tested at three tournaments this season. The first trial comes in February at Men’s U18 Division IIIB, to be played in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Group A will feature Iceland, Bosnia and South Africa. Group B comprises Thailand, Turkmenistan and Luxembourg.

Then, in April, two men’s events will use the new set-up. In Men’s Division IIA, to be played in Al Ain, UAE from April 20-26, Group A will comprise Croatia, Belgium and Australia while Group B features Serbia, UAE and Georgia.

In Men’s Division IV, to be played in Kuwait City from April 12-18, Singapore, Indonesia and Iran will make up Group A, while Armenia, Kuwait and Malaysia will play in Group B.

Key features

• Playoff and relegation games decide every team’s fate in head-to-head contests.

• Spectator interest should increase throughout the week, with the decisive games guaranteed to take place on the final day.

• Teams at lower division tournaments will continue to play five games each in seven days. This ensures no additional travel, accommodation or venue hire expenses for participating teams.

How it works

The six teams in each division are divided into two groups of three using snake seeding. The tournament begins with a round robin contest, with each team in Group A facing all three opponents from Group B, and vice versa.

At the end of the group stage, the top teams in each group will advance to a knock-out stage. Team A1 will play A2 and B1 will face B2 in the semi-finals. The winners advance to a promotion decider; the losers play for third place.

The third-placed team in each group goes into a relegation round of two games. The teams will collect points from these games using the current three-point system (three points for a regulation win, two points for a win in OT / SO, one point for a loss in OT / SO, no points for a loss in regulation). The team with most points from the two games will stay up, the team with fewer points will be relegated.

If both teams are on equal points at the end of regulation in game two, overtime and, if needed, a shootout will determine which team escapes relegation. If each team has one win in overtime or a shootout and thus finishes on level points after the extras, the IIHF tie breaking formula is applied to separate the teams.

What happens next?

The IIHF Sport Department is continuing to work with the relevant committees to implement changes to the structure of Men’s World Championship Division I events.

A new format proposal affecting the 12 teams competing in Division IA and IB is expected to go before the IIHF Annual Congress in Zurich in May 2026.

In 2026-2027 season, the new playoff format is due to apply to all World Championship tournaments in all categories (Men’s, Women’s, Men’s U20s, Men’s and Women’s U18s) at all levels below the top division.