Overview
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport issued its decision on 30 October that IIHF must admit Russian national teams for the 2026/27 season, and the order takes effect immediately for five events including the 2027 men's World Championship in Germany and a junior tournament in Canada.
- IIHF said it will implement CAS's ruling but warned that adding Russia now creates major logistical problems for tournament formats, schedules and safety planning because preparations are already far advanced.
- National federations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Latvia and Denmark have publicly refused to play Russia, and health and security concerns were cited as reasons for planned forfeits or boycotts.
- Several national governments, notably the Czech Republic, have said CAS does not require them to issue visas and plan to keep travel restrictions in place, while sponsors and some host cities have threatened to withdraw support, putting matches and funding at risk.
- The dispute highlights a wider clash between an international sports tribunal's legal authority and states' control of entry rules, and it could determine whether court rulings or sovereign visa and security decisions decide who actually takes the ice in 2027.