Sweden was the only team to go 4-0 in the preliminary round, all with regulation wins.
photo: Micheline Veluvolu/IIHF
The quarter-finals schedule for the 2026 World Junior Championships is set. All games will be played on Friday, 2 January 2026. Winners will move on to the semi-finals on Sunday and losers go home.
QF1 – 13:00, Grand Casino Arena: Sweden vs. Latvia
QF2 – 15:30, 3M Arena at Mariucci: Czechia vs. Switzerland
QF3 – 17:00, Grand Casino Arena: United States vs. Finland
QF4 – 19:30, 3M Arena at Mariucci: Canada vs. Slovakia
Canada, Czechia, Sweden, and the United States have the distinction of never having missed the playoffs since the current format was introduced in 1996. Finland missed the final eight only in 2017, and Slovakia has missed only three times in the last three decades.
Sweden and Latvia will be facing each other in the playoffs for the third time in the last five years, both previous occasions in the quarters as well. Both were narrow Sweden wins. In 2022, it was 2-1, and in 2025 it was 3-2.
The Czechs and Swiss have met in the quater-finals twice before, the Czechs winning both. In 2001, they eked out a 4-3 win, but in 2023 it was a 9-1 landslide.
The United States-Finland rivalry also has three games in the quarter-finals to consider. In 2007 and 2010, the Americans won, 6-3 and 6-2. But in 2020, it was Finland that managed a 1-0 win.
Canada and Slovakia have played in the quarters three times, most famously in 2023 when Connor Bedard scored a dazzling goal in overtime to give Canada a 4-3 win. Prior to that, Canada won two games easily, 7-2 in 1997 and 6-1 in 2020.
And in the relegation game, Germany will be making its third straight appearance, having won the previous two to remain in the top division. Denmark, newly-promoted, will be trying to stay up for a second year. This game will be played also on 2 January 2026 at 11.30 at 3M Arena at mariucci.
QF1 – 13:00, Grand Casino Arena: Sweden vs. Latvia
QF2 – 15:30, 3M Arena at Mariucci: Czechia vs. Switzerland
QF3 – 17:00, Grand Casino Arena: United States vs. Finland
QF4 – 19:30, 3M Arena at Mariucci: Canada vs. Slovakia
Canada, Czechia, Sweden, and the United States have the distinction of never having missed the playoffs since the current format was introduced in 1996. Finland missed the final eight only in 2017, and Slovakia has missed only three times in the last three decades.
Sweden and Latvia will be facing each other in the playoffs for the third time in the last five years, both previous occasions in the quarters as well. Both were narrow Sweden wins. In 2022, it was 2-1, and in 2025 it was 3-2.
The Czechs and Swiss have met in the quater-finals twice before, the Czechs winning both. In 2001, they eked out a 4-3 win, but in 2023 it was a 9-1 landslide.
The United States-Finland rivalry also has three games in the quarter-finals to consider. In 2007 and 2010, the Americans won, 6-3 and 6-2. But in 2020, it was Finland that managed a 1-0 win.
Canada and Slovakia have played in the quarters three times, most famously in 2023 when Connor Bedard scored a dazzling goal in overtime to give Canada a 4-3 win. Prior to that, Canada won two games easily, 7-2 in 1997 and 6-1 in 2020.
And in the relegation game, Germany will be making its third straight appearance, having won the previous two to remain in the top division. Denmark, newly-promoted, will be trying to stay up for a second year. This game will be played also on 2 January 2026 at 11.30 at 3M Arena at mariucci.