IIHF World Championship 2025: Full Schedule, Star Rosters & Where to Stream the Biggest Ice Hockey Event

Ice hockey fans are already circling 9–25 May 2025 on their calendars, when the IIHF World Championship skates into Stockholm, Sweden, and Herning, Denmark—the first time the neighbours have co-hosted the sport’s showcase event. The joint bid splits the action between Stockholm’s modern Avicii Arena and Herning’s fan-favourite Jyske Bank Boxen. Stockholm will handle Group A play, two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the medal games, while Group B and two quarter-finals land in Herning. What to know right now • Dates: 9–25 May 2025 • Host cities: Stockholm & Herning • Venues: Avicii Arena (capacity ≈ 15,000) and Jyske Bank Boxen (capacity ≈ 12,000) • Defending champion: Switzerland, after a 7-0 semifinal rout of Denmark en route to gold in 2024 • Team to watch: USA, fresh off a 6-2 semifinal shocker over Sweden that propelled the Americans to their first final since 1950 Qualification picture Sixteen nations will battle across two groups, with the bottom nation in each group relegated. Automatic berths are locked for the top-14 finishers from 2024; two more tickets go to the Division I winners. Exact group draws will be released this summer, but traditional powerhouses—Canada, Finland, Russia* (pending IIHF reinstatement), the Czech Republic and Germany—are already confirmed. Ticket & travel tips • Stockholm: book hotels early around Kungsholmen and Norrmalm. The Arlanda Express train reaches downtown in 18 minutes. • Herning: many fans stay in Aarhus (one hour by rail) to combine matches with coastal sightseeing. • Pass packages: the IIHF’s official site reports multi-game passes selling first; single-game seats launch later in the autumn. Sign up for the ticket alert list to avoid resale mark-ups. Key storylines to follow 1. Scandinavian supremacy: Sweden seeks a home-ice bounce-back after settling for bronze in 2024. 2. American momentum: a young U.S. core led by Cutter Gauthier and Luke Hughes aims to turn 2024’s silver into historic gold. 3. Switzerland’s title defence: Roman Josi’s return could fortify an already stingy blue line. 4. Rising outsiders: Denmark, buoyed by home crowds, and co-host nation depth can be a knockout-round headache for favourites. Broadcast & streaming All games stream on IIHF’s official platform in select territories, with linear rights split among national partners (TSN in Canada, Viaplay in Scandinavia, NHL Network in the U.S.). Expect UHD feeds and multilingual commentary. Early schedule snapshot • Opening day (9 May): Sweden vs TBD at Avicii Arena; Denmark vs TBD at Jyske Bank Boxen. • Quarter-finals: 22 May • Semi-finals: 24 May • Bronze & Gold: 25 May Bottom line With two passionate host nations, revamped rosters and storylines already heating up, the 2025 IIHF World Championship promises record crowds, sold-out arenas and a fresh chapter in international hockey history. Secure tickets, plan the Nordic getaway and stay tuned as the group draw and full fixture list drop in the months ahead.