IIHF World Junior Championship
The IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC), commonly known as the World Juniors, is an annual international ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The event features the top ten national under-20 teams competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals — with the winner crowned as the junior world champion.
The tournament traditionally takes place from late December to early January, coinciding with the National Hockey League (NHL) season. Because of this overlap, some NHL clubs choose not to release their top under-20 players to avoid injury risks and schedule conflicts.
The Upcoming 2026 World Juniors
The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship will mark the 50th edition of the tournament and will be hosted in the United States. Games will be played across two venues in Minnesota — Xcel Energy Center (home of the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Frost) and the 3M Arena at Mariucci at the University of Minnesota.
- Dates: Friday, December 26, 2025 – Monday, January 5, 2026
The top division will feature the world’s elite U20 teams competing for the title, while lower divisions (I, II, and III) will hold their own tournaments separately, with promotion and relegation between tiers.
Canada’s Dominance and Tournament Legacy
Since its official inception in 1977, Team Canada has captured 18 gold medals, making it the most successful nation in World Juniors history. The event has become a major part of Canadian sports culture, with massive fan support, national pride, and extensive media coverage every year.
What began as a relatively modest international competition has evolved into one of hockey’s most prestigious annual events — a showcase for the game’s future stars and a highlight of the winter sports calendar.
Medal table
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Medals |
| Canada | 20 | 10 | 5 | 35 |
| Russia Soviet Union CIS Total | 4 8 1 13 | 10 3 0 13 | 9 2 0 11 | 23 13 1 37 |
| United States | 7 | 2 | 7 | 16 |
| Finland | 5 | 6 | 7 | 18 |
| Sweden | 2 | 12 | 7 | 21 |
| Czechia Czechoslovakia Total | 2 0 2 | 1 5 6 | 3 6 9 | 6 11 17 |
| Slovakia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |