Sports Court Orders Russia’s Return to Hockey Worlds

On Oct. 30, 2026, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the International Ice Hockey Federation ban on Russian teams for the 2026-27 season. The decision upheld the Russian Ice Hockey Federation's appeal against the IIHF Council's summer ruling and requires Russian entries in all IIHF championships with immediate effect. It covers five tournaments: the 2027 World Juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, starting Dec. 26; the men's world championship in Germany; the women's world championship in Canada in November 2027; the men's under-18 event in Minnesota; and the women's under-18 event in the Czech Republic. Russia has been out of IIHF events since February 2022 and did not play Olympic hockey in 2026. CAS said the IIHF cited safety and security concerns but the evidence was insufficient, and that only substantiated security concerns could outweigh athletes' right to compete by nationality. The IIHF expressed disappointment, said the outcome does not remove its concerns, and maintained its decisions were necessary to protect participant safety and competition integrity. It said it respects CAS authority and will comply, noted significant practical implications for events already in advanced preparation, and will urgently assess the steps and time required. The ruling does not address neutral designation or national symbols. The IIHF said implementation details would come after coordination with member associations, organizers and host authorities. CAS separately maintained an Oct. 13 decision barring Russia from World Curling events, assessing cases on individual merits.