Ice Hockey Home World Championship 2027: Austria in Group A with Germany, Finland and Switzerland

Mannheim and Düsseldorf as Venues

Group B, which includes Canada and Olympic champions USA among others, will play in Düsseldorf. Germany's preliminary round games will thus take place in Mannheim, while the other group will be played in Düsseldorf.

Austria's head coach Roger Bader described the group as strong and attractive. Speaking to the world governing body after the draw, he said: "Das ist definitiv eine attraktive Gruppe mit den beiden Finalisten der letzten WM und gleichzeitig eine sehr starke. Da man sich die Gruppe nicht aussuchen kann, nimmt man es, wie es ist".

He viewed Ukraine as the great unknown of the group. "Wir stellen uns auf einen starken Gegner ein", said Bader with a view to the promoted team, which has moved up to the world governing body's top division and will appear in Group A for the first time.

Personnel Changes at the DEB

The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) is meanwhile facing sweeping personnel changes. The DEB parted ways with Harold Kreis after once again failing to reach the quarterfinals at the World Championship in May in Switzerland. According to the world governing body IIHF's group allocation, the German team will then play in Mannheim with a new national team coach.

However, the search for a new national team coach will not begin until a team manager has been found. As reported by the trade magazine "Eishockey News", Künast is to be given a team manager at his side in the future. To this end, a so-called task force with representatives from the DEL is to be installed first, which will appoint this team manager.

Consequences for DEB sporting director Christian Künast after the third disappointing major tournament in a row are thus on the table. The sporting director is to be relieved organizationally in the future, while sporting responsibility on the coaching position will be filled anew.

Opening Game Planned at Schalke

As was the case at the 2010 Home World Championship, an opening game with German participation is planned in the football arena in Schalke. Back then, 77,803 spectators had produced a world record at Germany's 2-1 victory after extra time against the USA, although that record no longer exists.

With the 2027 Home World Championship, the major event returns to Germany after 17 years. The venues in Mannheim and Düsseldorf are both established for international ice hockey tournaments, while the opening in Gelsenkirchen ties in with the tradition of 2010.

For Austria, the draw is both an opportunity and a challenge. Established top teams await in the form of Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, and Latvia, and there is also host Germany, who are always to be rated stronger with home advantage. The ÖEHV squad will have to take on the task in Mannheim.

Overall, the 2027 Home World Championship promises high-class ice hockey. The fact that Finland and Switzerland, the two finalists from last year, are in the same group makes the preliminary round an early highlight of the tournament.