The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has officially published the schedule for the 2027 World Championship in the Top Division — the elite level of world hockey. Alongside the strongest national teams on the planet, the Ukrainian national team has also received its calendar, marking its first appearance at this level in two decades. For the "blue and yellow" side, this is a historic return to the company of the world's 16 strongest teams after many years competing in divisions below the elite.
As Sport RBC.UA reports, citing the official IIHF website, Ukraine earned its Top Division spot following a successful run in Division 1A at the 2026 World Championship, where the team finished second and clinched the long-awaited promotion. It was precisely this achievement that allowed the Ukrainian national team to once again make it into the list of the planet's 16 strongest national teams.
Group A and the Roster of Opponents
The 2027 World Championship will be hosted by Germany, and at the group stage the Ukrainian team will compete in Group A. Ukraine's opponents in the round-robin phase will be the tournament hosts — Germany — as well as Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Austria, and Slovenia. This makes for a tight and competitive group, in which every game at the group stage will matter for the team's further fate in the tournament.
Tournament Format and the Stakes
In the round-robin phase, each team will play seven matches. At the end of the group stage, the four best teams will advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs, where the fight for medals and top placements will begin. Meanwhile, the team that finishes last in its group will be relegated and return to the division below. Thus, for Ukraine the minimum goal is to stay in the elite and avoid the bottom of the group standings, while the ambitious target is to reach the quarterfinals.
Change in the Coaching Staff
Against the backdrop of the historic return to the elite division, the Ukrainian Ice Hockey Federation decided on radical changes in the leadership of the national team. The organization chose not to continue its collaboration with Dmytro Khrystych's coaching staff and entrusted the head coach position to Oleksiy Bobkin. This personnel decision became part of the preparation for the new season and an attempt to strengthen the team ahead of its appearance at the highest level.
The Road to the World Championship
Ukrainian hockey players will prepare for the world championship through participation in three stages of the European Nations Cup, which will take place in November, December, and February. It is the autumn tournament that will mark Oleksiy Bobkin's official debut at the helm of the national team, so fans will be able to assess the first practical results of the new staff's work as early as November. The return to the elite, for the first time since 2007, turns the upcoming season into one of the most significant in the modern history of Ukrainian hockey.
