2026 IIHF World Championship: Finland Schedule, Roster, Results History
Finland announce their 25-man squad for the 2026 Worlds in Switzerland. Check their group stage fixtures, key players, and recent tournament record...
After 3 straight quarter-final exits, Finland head to Switzerland with a new squad and Olympic bronze form. Here’s their schedule, roster, and title history...
Finland are heading into the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship determined to break a three-tournament medal drought. The tournament runs from May 15-31 in Switzerland, with games split between Zurich and Fribourg.
After lifting the title on home soil in 2022, Finland have been knocked out in the quarter-finals for three straight years. Their most recent exit came against the eventual champions, the United States, last year.
Under Antti Pennanen, the team will be aiming for a deeper run this time around. Confidence is high following their bronze-medal finish at this year’s Winter Olympics.
Covers the upcoming World Championship, including Finland’s match schedule and the squad selected as they aim to return to the podium.
Tournament Dates and Host Cities
The 2026 World Championship will run from May 15 to May 31 across two Swiss cities: Zurich and Fribourg.
Group Stage Venues
Matches for Group A are set for Zurich’s Swiss Life Arena, while Group B games will be hosted at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.
The 2026 #MensWorlds begins Friday 😤
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 13, 2026
Which team will shine in the battle for gold? 💪 #IIHF pic.twitter.com/ULWRaD6hUN
Finals and Medal Matches
Zurich will stage the championship final on May 31, as well as the semi-finals and the bronze medal game.
2026 World Championship groups
Group A: USA, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain
Group B: Canada, Sweden, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Italy
Finland's 2026 World Championship schedule
All times CEST
May 15th: Finland vs Germany (16:20)
May 16th: Finland vs Hungary (16:20)
May 18th: Finland vs United States (16:20)
May 21st: Finland vs Latvia (16:20)
May 22nd: Finland vs Great Britain (20:20)
May 24th: Finland vs Austria (20:20)
May 26th: Switzerland vs Finland (20:20)
Squad Announced for Switzerland
Leijonat confirmed their roster for the 2026 World Championship on May 10th ahead of the tournament in Switzerland.
League Breakdown and Local Talent
The 25-man squad includes 12 NHL players and two from Finland’s Liiga this season. Eight players will also be playing in familiar surroundings, as they currently compete in the Swiss league.
Goaltenders: Harri Sateri Harri, Justus Annunen, Joonas Korpisalo
Defencemen: Olli Maatta, Mikko Lehtonen, Henri Jokiharju, Vili Saarijarvi, Nikolas Matinpalo, Ville Heinola, Mikael Seppala, Urho Vaakanainen
Forwards: Jesse Puljujarvi, Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov, Waltteri Merela, Patrik Puistola, Sami Paivarinta, Hannes Bjorninen, Janne Kuokkanen, Aatu Raty, Eemil Erholtz, Sakari Manninen, Saku Maenalanen, Teuvo Teravainen, Lenni Hameenaho
Head coach: Antti Pennanen
Suomen MM-joukkue nimetty - Sveitsin MM-turnaus käyntiin perjantaina 15. toukokuuta.
— Leijonat.fi (@leijonat) May 10, 2026
– Meillä on kokenut joukkue, joka on valmis menestymään. Paljon erilaista osaamista ja maajoukkueeseen erittäin sitoutuneita pelaajia, päävalmentaja Antti Pennanen kuvailee sunnuntaina Ruotsin… pic.twitter.com/u5HDHKdE8L
Debut and First Podium Finish
Finland entered the World Championship for the first time in 1939, when Zurich and Basel co-hosted the event. Their first medal didn’t arrive until 1992, when they took silver in Czechoslovakia.
Gold Medals and Overall Record
It took only three more years for Finland to win gold, triumphing in Sweden in 1995. That was the start of four world titles, with further wins coming in 2011, 2019, and 2022. Including nine silvers and three bronzes since 1992, Finland sit fifth on the all-time medal table.
Recent Quarter-Final Exits
After beating Canada in the 2022 final in Tampere, Finland have struggled to replicate that form. They’ve placed seventh, eighth, and seventh in the last three tournaments, repeatedly falling at the quarter-final stage.
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