Kazakhstan will be bidding to defend its title when it takes on Asian rivals Japan, Korea and China in the November 20-23 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey Men’s Asia Championship in Beijing.
Asian powerhouse Kazakhstan, the highest-ranked team in the tourney at No. 13, won the inaugural Asia Championship in Almaty in 2024 by beating Japan 5-1 in the final.
The IIHF launched the tournament to give Asia’s leading hockey nations increased opportunities on the international stage.
Kazakhstan will be aiming to get back on track after a disappointing showing at this year’s IIHF World Championship where they went 1-6 and dropped out of the elite division.
Kazakhstan takes on Korea in its opening game on Thursday, Nov. 20 while Japan faces host China.
Kazakhstan displayed its dominance over its Asian opponents at the 2025 Asian Games in February, winning all eight matches in regulation and outscoring the opposition 73 to 4.
That included a 5-0 win over Japan in the final to give the Kazakhs their fifth gold medal in the tournament.
JAPAN LOOKING TO UPSET FAVORITES
Japan, which is 20th in the world rankings and currently plays in Division I Group A in the World Championship, is sending a young squad hoping to build for the future.
At the last tournament two year’s ago, Canadian and former NHLer Jarrod Skalde had just taken over as head coach of Japan’s national team a few month’s prior to the event.
After taking over, Skalde has stressed the need for his team to be more aggressive against more physical teams like Kazakhstan.
“I think we need to be more aggressive," Skalde said. "And being more aggressive isn't necessarily being more physical, it's just getting to the puck quicker and taking away time and space from the other team.”
Skalde, who played with the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils, said he hopes to utilize Japan’s strong defensive skills.
"I really like our defense, I think our defense skates very well. They move the puck very well and they are very aggressive," Skalde said. "In order to create offense, you've got to be able to move the puck and I believe that is one of the strengths we have on our back end.”
CHINA, KOREA AIM FOR IMPROVEMENT
Host China, 25th in the IIHF rankings, is now coached by Canadian Perry Pearn and is hoping to improve on its fourth-place finish from the inaugural tourney with home ice advantage.
China is making a strong bid to raise it’s international ice hockey profile.
In addition to hosting the Asian Winter Games in Harbin this year, China also hosted the Women’s World Championship Division I Group A in Shenzhen in April.
Korea beat China 5-2 in the bronze medal game at the Asian Winter Games.
Currently 22nd in the rankings, the Koreans have shown they are capable of an upset. They beat Kazakhstan 4-1 in their opening game of the first Asia Championship.
All six games will be streamed live on https://iihf.tv.