Only three games separate a country from a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.
The playoff portion of the international hockey tournament is here. After each nation played seven games in the preliminary round, the field was cut in half. What started with 16 teams eyeing gold in Czechia is now at eight, with those left taking part in the knockout round.
Canada still has a chance to defend its championship at the IIHF event. The maple leaf finished first in its group, securing 19 of a possible 21 points. The team did not lose a single contest in group play, securing five wins in regulation and two in overtime. Also coming out of Group A is Switzerland, Czechia and Finland.
On the other side, Sweden emerged atop Group B, grabbing all 21 points available with seven regulation wins in as many games. In addition to the Swedes, the United States, Germany and Slovakia advanced to the knockout stage.
Who will come out on top of the podium in 2024? Hockey fans will soon find out.
Here is everything you need to know about the playoffs for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.
MORE: Watch the 2024 IIHF World Championship live with Fubo
You can see the latest 2024 IIHF World Championship odds at BetMGM.
Here is everything you need to know for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.
IIHF World Championship playoffs 2024 schedule, TV channels
Thursday, May 23: Quarterfinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Canada vs. Slovakia | 10:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1 |
| Switzerland vs. Germany | 10:20 a.m. | ESPN+, TSN5 |
| USA vs. Czechia | 2:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1 |
| Sweden vs. Finland | 2:20 p.m. | ESPN+, TSN5 |
Saturday, May 25: Semifinals
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Semifinal: TBD vs. TBD | 8:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1/4, RDS |
| Semifinal: TBD vs. TBD | 12:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1/4, RDS |
Sunday, May 26
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Bronze-Medal Game: TBD vs. TBD | 9:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1, RDS |
| Gold-Medal Game: TBD vs. TBD | 2:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1, RDS |
IIHF World Championship playoff bracket 2024
Quarterfinals
- A1 Canada vs. B4 Slovakia
- A2 Switzerland vs. B3 Germany
- B1 Sweden vs. A4 Finland
- B2 USA vs. A3 Czechia
Semifinals
- TBD vs. TBD
- TBD vs. TBD
Medal Games
- Bronze: TBD vs. TBD
- Gold: TBD vs. TBD
The top four teams from each pool advance to the quarterfinals. The winners of quarterfinal games advance to the semis, while the losers will play in a 5th-place game for seeding purposes.
The victors of the semifinals will face off in the gold medal game, and the semis losers will play for bronze.
Here is how the standings finish from the preliminary round.
Group A
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada* | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Switzerland* | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Czechia* | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| Finland* | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Austria | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Denmark | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Norway | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| Great Britain | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
Group B
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden* | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| USA* | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| Germany* | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Slovakia* | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Latvia | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Kazakhstan | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| France | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Poland | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
* advanced to quarterfinals
How to watch 2024 IIHF World Championship on TV, live stream
- TV channel (U.S.): NHL Network
- Live stream (U.S.): Fubo, ESPN+
- TV channel (Canada): TSN, RDS
- Live stream (Canada): TSN.ca, TSN app
TSN and the NHL Network are the homes in North America for the 2024 IIHF World Championship
In the United States, all games involving Team USA and other select pool play games will be broadcast on NHL Network. The network will have both semifinal games and medal games.
Cord cutters can stream NHL Network through Fubo, which offers a free trial. ESPN+ will carry games that are not available on NHL Network.
Canadians can view games on TSN (English language) or RDS (French language). The networks will carry every game with Canada involved at the tournament and select other games, including all of the playoff contests.
TSN can be streamed on TSN.ca, through the TSN App and TSN+.
If the game is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
Where is the IIHF World Championship in 2024?
- Location: Ostrava, Czechia & Prague, Czechia
- Venue: Ostrava Arena / O2 Arena
The 2024 IIHF World Championship is being held in Czechia. The country is hosting the tournament in two cities — Ostrava and Prague.
Games held in Ostrava will be played at the Ostrava Arena, the home rink for HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga. Contests in Prague will be played at O2 Arena, home of HC Sparta Prague of the Czech Extraliga.