Ukrainian national team returns to elite division of the IIHF World Championship for first time in 19 years

The Ukrainian national hockey team took second place at the Division 1A World Championship in Sosnowiec, Poland, earning promotion to the elite division, a position the team had not reached since 2007.

Ukraine won three games and lost two, earning 10 points. Led by Dmytro Khrystych, the team secured a spot in the elite thanks to the result of the tournament’s final match, in which Lithuania defeated hosts - Poland in overtime (2:1). A victory for the Poles in regulation time would have deprived Ukraine of second place.

Kazakhstan won Division 1A with 13 points. Ukraine (10), France (8), Poland (8), Lithuania (4), and Japan (2) finished next.

Next year, the Ukrainian national team will play in the World Championship of the top division, which will take place from May 14 to May 30, 2027, in the German cities of Düsseldorf and Mannheim.