WCH U18 IB (Iceland) 2026/27

The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual international ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Established in 1999, it replaced the IIHF European Junior Championships as the premier global event for players under eighteen. The competition features a multi-division structure designed to accommodate nations at varying levels of developmental hockey. The Top Division hosts ten teams, while Divisions I and II typically feature six teams per group. All divisions begin with a round-robin preliminary stage. In the Top Division, the top four teams from each group advance to a knockout playoff stage comprising quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal games. Divisions I and II do not utilize playoffs; promotion and relegation are determined solely by final standings.

The tournament serves as a critical benchmark for youth development, featuring a broader range of participating nations in lower divisions compared to other age-category events. While powerhouses often compete in the Top Division, nations such as Austria, Estonia, France, Italy, Lithuania, and South Korea generally compete in Division I or II. Austria and France have recently contested in Division I Group A, whereas Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, and South Korea have appeared in Division I Group B or Division II. The current champion is Sweden, which defeated Slovakia in the 2026 final. Sweden holds the record for the most titles, having won in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026. Canada and the United States are also frequent winners of the title.