Minnesota is reportedly set to host the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship. The tournament will bring the world's best under-20 ice hockey players to Minnesota's rink, with games played at the Xcel Energy Center and the University of Minnesota's Mariucci Arena, according to sources that communicated the details to FOX 9 and KSTP Sports.
This isn't the first time the tournament will have Minnesota as its backdrop, which last saw the World Juniors in 2005 when games were also played in Thief River Falls. With the announcement, the state will be welcoming back an event that has been years in making, a bid that the FOX 9 report indicated was part of Minnesota Sports and Events' efforts since at least March, skating circles around the competition for this frosty feather in their cap.
The last time the tournament was hosted by the U.S. was in 2018, over in Buffalo, New York, but it appears 2026 will see the puck heading back to Minnesotan ice. The official announcement has been slated for later in the week, but Team USA will have home-ice advantage in a couple of years, as they continue battling it out in the 2024 semifinals against Finland in Sweden.
Minnesota Sports and Events stated KSTP Sports, elaborating on the anticipation surrounding the tournament's return. "Minnesota Sports & Events submitted a competitive bid to host the 2025 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship. We anticipate a decision soon and remain optimistic that our bid will be selected, bringing this incredible event back to the State of Hockey," said the committee responsible for ensuring the state's strong hockey heritage continues to flourish.
As for the eager fans and players, the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship is looking to begin its games in late December 2025, offering up a winterscape of competitive hockey amidst Minnesota's undisputed love for the sport.
