Overview
- Sweden edged Slovakia 3–2 in St. Paul in the opening Group A game of the U20 world championship.
- Finland defeated Denmark 6–2 in Minneapolis to start Group B play.
- The preliminary round runs December 26–31, with playoffs January 2–5 and the medal games in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center.
- Group A in St. Paul features the United States, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland and Germany, while Group B in Minneapolis includes Finland, Czechia, Canada, Latvia and Denmark.
- The United States enters as defending champion seeking a third straight gold as the IIHF weighs an IOC-backed proposal on Russian youth team participation, with a council decision expected in early 2026.