---
title: "\"No Russians There\": Canada Closes 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship to Russian and Belarusian Teams"
description: "Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the national teams of Russia and Belarus will not be admitted to the 2027 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in Alberta, despite the CAS ruling on their return."
date: 2026-11-04T12:28:17.269Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/canada-closes-2027-world-junior-championship-to-russia
tags: [hockey, canada, russia, belarus, world-junior-championship, iihf, cas, ukraine-war, alberta]
author: "Andrey Kosynko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "No Russians There": Canada Closes 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship to Russian and Belarusian Teams

![Two hockey players in protective gear battle for the puck during a world junior championship match](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/04/kanada-ne-dopustit-rf-i-belarus-na-yunior-skij-chm-po-hokkeju-2027/kanada-ne-dopustit-rf-i-belarus-na-yunior-skij-chm-po-hokkeju-2027-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the exclusion of the Russian and Belarusian teams from the 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta
- The ban remains in effect until the end of the war against Ukraine, according to the Canadian government
- The decision was made despite the CAS ruling obligating the IIHF to admit Russian teams for the 2026/27 season
- At least 12 national federations opposed the participation of Russian hockey players in international tournaments
- The Russian ambassador to Canada called the decision "regrettable" and accused Ottawa of politicizing junior hockey

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that his country will not allow the national teams of Russia and Belarus to participate in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, which will take place in the Canadian province of Alberta from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027. The statement was made at a press conference following a summit in Antigua and was reported by Reuters. According to Carney, the ban will remain in effect as long as, in his assessment, Russia and Belarus continue to "support the illegal, unjustified war in Ukraine."

### Direct Quote and Tournament Specifics

Answering journalists' questions about whether the decision applies specifically to the junior championship, the head of the Canadian government was extremely precise: "So, if you're asking specifically about the World Junior Championship, there will be no Russians there." Thus, Ottawa has effectively introduced a national ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian hockey players in a tournament held on its territory, even in cases where the international federation permits them to compete. The tournament in Alberta was supposed to be a key event of the 2026/27 junior season, but the political decision of the Canadian authorities calls into question the participation of two teams that formally earned the right to play by decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

### Context: The CAS Decision and the IIHF Position

Let us recall the chronology. Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) suspended the national teams of Russia and Belarus from all international competitions under its auspices. In late October 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the IIHF is obligated to admit Russian teams to tournaments for the 2026–2027 season. The federation expressed "disappointment" with this decision, noting that the initial suspension was enacted for the safety of participants and the fairness of competitions. Nevertheless, the arbitration ruling is legally binding, and formally, Russian and Belarusian hockey players gained access to international events—except in cases where the host country imposes its own restrictions.

### Boycott at the Level of National Federations

The CAS decision caused a sharp reaction in the hockey community. The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine publicly expressed "categorical disappointment" over the possible return of Russian teams. According to calculations by the "Vot Tak" publication, at least 12 national federations opposed the participation of Russian hockey players in international tournaments. In particular, the national teams of the Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Denmark stated they would not play against the Russian team at the upcoming men's World Championship in Germany. Canada joined this line, but at the level of state policy: the ban applies not only to matches against Russians, but to the very fact of their presence on Canadian ice.

### Moscow's Reaction: "Politics Interfering in Junior Hockey"

Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov called Ottawa's decision "regrettable" and criticized what he described as political issues interfering even in junior hockey. Moscow emphasizes that CAS ruled in favor of admitting Russian teams, and any additional restrictions by the host country are viewed as a violation of sports law. However, in Ottawa, the position remains unchanged: as long as the war against Ukraine continues, Russian and Belarusian athletes will not represent their countries at competitions in Canada.

### What This Means for the Tournament in Alberta

The 2027 World Junior Championship in Alberta will take place without the national teams of Russia and Belarus—this is no longer a matter of negotiations, but a fixed political decision. For the organizers and the IIHF, this creates additional logistical and regulatory burdens: the schedule, draw, and tournament format will be adjusted to account for the absence of two teams that, by the CAS ruling, formally have the right to participate. For the remaining participants, this means that the tournament in Alberta will serve as another example of how geopolitical restrictions continue to impact the world hockey calendar, despite attempts by arbitration instances to return the sports agenda to a legal framework.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- ["Россиян там не будет": Канада не допустит спортсменов из РФ и Беларуси на юниорский ЧМ по хоккею](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/winter/rosiyan-bude-kanada-dopustit-sportsmeniv-1793794874.html) - Primary source. Carney's quote, tournament dates (Dec 26, 2026 – Jan 5, 2027), Russian ambassador's reaction, federations' positions (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic).
- [Канада не допустит хоккеистов из РФ до молодежного чемпионата мира](https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2026/11/04/kanada-ne-dopustit-khokkeistov-iz-rf-do-molodezhnogo-chempionata-mira-news) - Confirms Carney's quote. Specifies: at least 12 federations against (Finland, Latvia added). CAS ruling in late October 2026. IIHF expressed disappointment.
- [Канада закрыла сборной России дорогу на молодежный чемпионат мира по хоккею: „Россиян там не ...](https://rus.delfi.ee/statja/120622391/kanada-zakryla-sbornoy-rossii-dorogu-na-molodezhnyy-chempionat-mira-po-hokkeyu-rossiyan-tam-ne-budet) - Confirms tournament dates and Carney's position. Notes Canada aligning with the stance of several European federations.
- [Канада не допустит хоккеистов из России и Беларуси до молодежного чемпионата мира](https://inforesist.org/kanada-ne-dopustit-hokkeistov-iz-rossii-i-belarusi-do-molodezhnogo-chempionata-mira/) - Brief confirmation of the main fact without additional details.

## FAQ

### When and where will the 2027 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship take place?

The tournament will be held in the Canadian province of Alberta from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027.

### Why is Canada barring Russia and Belarus if CAS allowed their participation?

Canada has introduced a national ban at the state policy level: Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that until the war against Ukraine ends, Russian and Belarusian athletes will not compete for their countries at events in Canada, regardless of international arbitration rulings.

### What other countries have refused to play against Russia?

According to sources, at least 12 national federations have opposed the participation of Russian hockey players. Among them are the Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Denmark, which stated they will not play against Russia at the men's World Championship in Germany.

### How did Russia react to Canada's decision?

Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov called the decision "regrettable" and stated that political issues should not interfere with junior hockey.