Hockey fans know that once Christmas is in the books, it’s time for the World Juniors.
Last year, the tournament was held north of the border in Ottawa, Canada. This year, the United States will host, with the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, serving as host cities. The tournament runs from December 26, 2025, to January 5, 2026.
The event will once again showcase the best youth players from 10 countries, with several on the final rosters expected to become household names among NHL fans in the coming seasons. James Hagans (Boston Bruins), Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders), Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames) and Leon Muggli (Washington Capitals) are just a few players to watch throughout the tournament.
The Sporting News is tracking all scores and results from every game of the 2026 IIHF World Juniors.
SN’s NHL HQ: Live NHL scores | Updated NHL standings | Full NHL schedule
World Juniors bracket 2026
Gold Medal Game
- TBD vs. TBD
Bronze Medal Game
- TBD vs. TBD
Semifinals
Teams are reseeded for the semifinals matchups based on the group stage standings. All four will be guaranteed to play for a medal.
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
Quarterfinals
Teams will be seeded for the quarterfinals based on the group stage standings.
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
The remaining four teams after the quarterfinals will be reseeded for the semifinals based on preliminary round standings.
World Juniors standings 2026
Group A
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
| United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Switzerland | ||||||
| Germany | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group B
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
| Finland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Latvia | ||||||
| Denmark | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Teams will play four preliminary games in a round-robin format within their group, followed by a three-round playoff.
In the group stage, teams earn three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win, one point for an overtime loss and no points for a regulation loss.
The top four teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, where the matchups are determined by seeding. They will cross over between groups for these games: 1A vs. 4B, 1B vs. 4A, 2A vs. 3B and 2B vs. 3A. The teams that advance to the semifinals will be reseeded.
The winners of the semifinals will face off in the gold medal game. The losers will play for bronze.
2026 World Juniors schedule, results
Friday, Dec. 26
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Sweden 3, Slovakia 2 | 12 p.m. |
| Finland 6, Denmark 2 | 2:30 p.m. |
| United States 6, Germany 3 | 5 p.m. |
| Canada 7, Czechia 5 | 7:30 p.m. |
Saturday, Dec. 27
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Slovakia vs. Germany | 1 p.m. |
| Latvia vs. Canada | 3:30 p.m. |
| United States vs. Switzerland | 5 p.m. |
| Denmark vs. Czechia | 7:30 p.m. |
Sunday, Dec. 28
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Sweden vs. Switzerland | 1 p.m. |
| Finland vs. Latvia | 3:30 p.m. |
Monday, Dec. 29
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Germany vs. Sweden | 12 p.m. |
| Finland vs. Czechia | 2:30 p.m. |
| Slovakia vs. United States | 5 p.m. |
| Canada vs. Denmark | 7:30 p.m. |
Tuesday, Dec. 30
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Switzerland vs. Germany | 1 p.m. |
| Latvia vs. Denmark | 3:30 p.m. |
Wednesday, Dec. 31
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Switzerland vs. Slovakia | 12 p.m. |
| Czechia vs. Latvia | 2:30 p.m. |
| United States vs. Sweden | 5 p.m. |
| Canada vs. Finland | 7:30 p.m. |
Friday, Jan. 2
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Quarterfinal 1 | 1 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 2 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 3 | 5 p.m. |
| Quarterfinal 4 | 7:30 p.m. |
Sunday, Jan. 4
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Semifinal 1 | 3:30 p.m. |
| Semifinal 2 | 7:30 p.m. |
Monday, Jan. 5
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Bronze Medal Game | 3:30 p.m. |
| Gold Medal Game | 7:30 p.m. |