--- title: "Russian Boycott: Five European Hockey Federations Refuse to Play Against Russia After CAS Ruling" description: "Five European hockey federations — Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Latvia — have announced a boycott of matches against Russia following the CAS decision to return the RF for the 2026/27 season. The 2027 World Championship in Germany is under threat." date: 2026-11-03T16:30:22.967Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russian-boycott-five-european-hockey-federations tags: [hockey, russia, europe, iihf, cas, world-championship] author: "Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Russian Boycott: Five European Hockey Federations Refuse to Play Against Russia After CAS Ruling ![Finnish hockey players in white jerseys with a crest celebrating victory on the ice.](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/03/bojkot-rossii-pyat-hokejnyh-federatsiy-evropy-otkazalis-igrat-posle-resheniya-cas/bojkot-rossii-pyat-hokejnyh-federatsiy-evropy-otkazalis-igrat-posle-resheniya-cas-1.webp) ## Key Points - Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Latvia have officially refused to play against Russian national teams at world championships. - Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria expressed support for the boycott; the initiative was led by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association. - The démarche was a response to the CAS ruling obliging the IIHF to return Russian teams in the 2026/27 season. - Sponsor AJ Produkter, cooperating with the World Championship for 37 years, ceased participation in the 2027 tournament. - The 2027 Men's World Championship in Germany (May 14–30) is under threat due to security and cost concerns. Immediately five leading European hockey federations have officially announced their refusal to play matches against Russian national teams at world championships. This démarche is a direct response to the ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which obliged the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) to return Russian teams to the competition calendar for the 2026/27 season. According to [Sport RBC.UA](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/winter/skandal-svitovomu-hokeyi-providni-zbirni-1793722952.html), a protest bloc is forming around Scandinavian and Baltic countries and already covers a significant part of European hockey. ### Finland Heads the Protest Finland has taken a leading role in resisting the CAS decision. Heikki Hietanen, head of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, emphasized that the country's national teams will not play a single match against representatives of the Russian Federation as long as the military aggression against Ukraine continues. According to the source, the Finnish side is actively uniting other states to jointly convey to the IIHF a categorical refusal to step onto the same ice with Russians. ### Who Joined the Boycott Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Latvia have joined the protest bloc, while Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria have expressed support for refusing the matches. Thus, a wide geographical scope is involved: from Scandinavia to Central Europe. The refusal to play against the Russian Federation, as noted, could entail serious disciplinary consequences for the teams from the IIHF, ranging from technical defeats to forced relegation in the division. ### Financial and Organizational Crisis The return of Russia has triggered a financial and organizational crisis in world hockey. The Swedish company AJ Produkter, which has been an official sponsor of the world championship for 37 years, announced the withdrawal of its logos and the termination of cooperation with the 2027 tournament. The loss of such a long-standing partner increases pressure on the IIHF and the organizers of future championships. ### 2027 World Championship Under Threat The holding of the 2027 Men's World Championship, scheduled to take place from May 14 to 30 in Germany, has come under threat. The German Ice Hockey Federation has expressed concern over security issues and additional financial costs, and the host side, according to the source, is already considering legal options to refuse hosting the tournament. The situation continues to evolve, and the final decision on the status of Russian teams and the format of the championship remains open. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Скандал в мировом хоккее: ведущие сборные объявили бойкот матчам с РФ после решения CAS](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/winter/skandal-svitovomu-hokeyi-providni-zbirni-1793722952.html) - The only source provided; lists boycott countries, the position of the FIHA head, the departure of sponsor AJ Produkter, and the threat to the 2027 World Championship in Germany. Cross-verification through official IIHF/CAS channels was not conducted. ## FAQ ### Which countries have announced a boycott of matches against Russia? Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Latvia have joined the protest block, with Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria expressing support. ### Why are federations refusing to play against Russia? This is a response to the CAS decision obliging the IIHF to return Russian teams to competitions in the 2026/27 season; Finland links the refusal to the ongoing military aggression against Ukraine. ### What consequences are possible for teams that refused to play? According to the source, the IIHF may apply disciplinary measures ranging from technical defeats to forced relegation in the division. ### What is happening to the 2027 World Championship? The tournament (May 14–30 in Germany) is under threat: the German federation is concerned about security and costs and is considering legal options to refuse hosting.