--- title: "Kummola: Ukraine Will Not Be Ousted from 2027 World Championship Elite Division for Russia — Decision Made" description: "Former IIHF Vice President Kalervo Kummola stated that Ukraine will keep its spot in the 2027 World Championship elite division and will not be ousted for Russia. He announced this after a meeting with new federation president Franz Reindl on November 1." date: 2026-11-02T20:11:52.204Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kummola-ukraine-retain-spot-2027-world-championship tags: [ukraine-hockey, iihf, world-championship-2027, russia-hockey, elite-division, cas-ruling] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kummola: Ukraine Will Not Be Ousted from 2027 World Championship Elite Division for Russia — Decision Made ![Two Ukrainian national ice hockey team players in yellow and blue uniforms celebrating on the ice](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/02/kummola-ukraina-sohranit-mesto-chm-2027-hokej/kummola-ukraina-sohranit-mesto-chm-2027-hokej-1.webp) ## Key Points - Kummola confirmed that the IIHF will not oust Ukraine from the 2027 World Championship elite division for Russia - The issue was discussed at a meeting with new IIHF President Franz Reindl on November 1, 2026 - Ukraine earned its spot in the elite following Division 1A 2026 and was the last to qualify - The 2027 World Championship will be held in Germany from May 14 to May 30, 2027 Former International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Vice President Kalervo Kummola has stated that the Ukrainian national team will retain its place in the elite division of the 2027 World Championship and will not be ousted to make way for the return of the Russian team. According to the Finnish official, he held a meeting with the new IIHF President Franz Reindl on November 1, 2026, during which the issue of the Ukrainian national team's participation in the upcoming global tournament was directly raised. "We discussed this issue with the new IIHF President. It was clearly stated that a decision cannot be implemented whereby Ukraine is excluded and Russia takes its place," Kummola is quoted as saying by the Iltalehti publication, as referenced by Sport RBC.UA. ### Context: CAS Ruling and a Wave of Concerns The discussion was triggered by a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which allowed Russian national teams to participate in international ice hockey competitions. Following this, concerns arose within the hockey community that Russia would take Ukraine's place in the elite division of the 2027 World Championship. The IIHF Competitions Committee had previously proposed a mechanism whereby, in the event of Russia's return, the team ranked 16th in the standings would lose its spot at the tournament. However, at the time this proposal was prepared, it was not known which specific team would occupy the bottom position among the championship participants. ### Ukraine — The Last Team to Qualify Ukraine became the last national team to earn the right to play in the elite division of the World Championship following the Division 1A tournament in 2026. This is precisely why its participation came under question first: formally, it held the 16th position, and if the proposed mechanism were implemented, the "blue-and-yellows" could lose their spot. Kummola, however, is convinced that this mechanism cannot be implemented and the Ukrainian team must retain its place among the world's strongest national teams. He emphasized that no one in the IIHF leadership would dare to make such a decision. ### Historical Context and Prospects For the Ukrainian national team, returning to the elite division is of special significance: the last time Ukrainian hockey players competed at the highest level of the global championship was in 2007. Thus, participation in the 2027 World Championship will be the team's first in nearly two decades. The 2027 Men's World Championship is scheduled to take place in Germany from May 14 to May 30. Currently, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine has not decided whether it will boycott the tournament if the Russian national team is admitted, but the IIHF's position, voiced by Kummola, significantly reduces the likelihood of such a scenario. ### Federation Position and Next Steps Kummola's statement, made a day after his meeting with Reindl, effectively closes the discussion on who exactly will lose their place in the elite division upon Russia's return. The Finnish official, well-acquainted with the internal processes of the IIHF, emphasizes that the decision has already been made at the federation leadership level. Nevertheless, final confirmation of the tournament format and the list of participants is expected from the official IIHF Competitions Committee. For Ukrainian hockey, retaining a spot in the elite is not just a matter of sports statistics, but a symbol of returning to the international arena after a long break. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Исключат ли Украину с ЧМ по хоккею в пользу России: стало известно решение](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/winter/chi-viklyuchat-ukrayinu-chs-hokeyu-korist-1793649989.html) - Kummola's statement was reported via Iltalehti and cited by Sport RBC.UA. An official IIHF press release on this matter had not been published at the time of writing. ## FAQ ### Will Ukraine retain its spot in the 2027 World Championship elite division? According to former IIHF Vice President Kalervo Kummola, yes. He stated that at a meeting with new federation president Franz Reindl on November 1, 2026, it was clearly declared that the decision to exclude Ukraine and replace it with Russia will not be implemented. ### How did Ukraine earn the right to play in the elite division? The Ukrainian national team qualified for the elite division following the 2026 World Championship Division 1A tournament, becoming the last team to secure a spot. ### When and where will the 2027 World Championship take place? The 2027 Men's World Championship is scheduled to take place in Germany from May 14 to May 30, 2027. ### Will Ukraine boycott the 2027 World Championship if Russia is admitted? The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine has not yet decided on this matter. However, the IIHF position voiced by Kummola reduces the likelihood of conflict, as Ukraine's spot in the elite is preserved.