Ukraine men's national ice hockey team have qualified for the elite division of the Ice Hockey World Championship for the first time since 2007.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the Ukrainian team secured promotion after finishing second in Division I Group A, which was held in the Polish city of Sosnowiec. Ukraine completed the tournament with 10 points.
Their return to the top level was officially confirmed after Poland men's national ice hockey team suffered a 2-1 overtime defeat against Lithuania men's national ice hockey team in the final round. Poland ended the tournament with eight points, leaving Ukraine in a promotion position.
Tournament winners Kazakhstan men's national ice hockey team also earned promotion to the elite division after collecting 13 points during the competition.
Ukraine last competed among the world’s strongest hockey nations at the 2007 World Championship and have spent nearly two decades outside the top tier. Their return marks a significant moment for Ukrainian ice hockey, particularly given the challenges faced by the country’s sporting system in recent years.
The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship will be hosted in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, while the 2027 elite division tournament is scheduled to take place in the German cities of Dusseldorf and Mannheim.
