The 2025 World Junior Championship is just five sleeps away. Ottawa, Canada plays host to the tournament this year, the second time that the city has played host. Canada hosted from 2020 to 2023 while Gothenburg, Sweden hosted the 2024 tournament.
Team USA won the gold medal last year while the hosting Swedes took home the bronze. Canada was upset in the quarterfinal by Team Czechia which left them medal-less. Canada looks to take home a medal on home turf this year while the Americans look to defend their gold.
It all starts on Boxing Day (Dec. 26th) and ends during the first week of 2025. Inside The Rink has you covered for your World Juniors fix.
Group A Breakdown
Editors note: Final Roster and Players to Watch articles will be linked once they’re published.
Team USA: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Finland: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Canada: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Latvia: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Germany: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Group B Breakdown
Team Sweden: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Czechia: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Slovakia: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Switzerland: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Team Kazakhstan: Final Roster, Players to Watch
Player Eligibility
The U20 tournament is restricted to players under the age of 20. Eligibility depends on the calendar year the tournament ends: players who turn 20 during that year are allowed to participate, even if their birthday occurs during the event. However, players whose 20th birthday falls in the year the tournament begins are not eligible. The youngest eligible participants must be at least 15 years old by the tournament’s end.
The Host: Ottawa, Ontario
For the second time in World Juniors history and the first since 2009, the tournament returns to Canada’s capital city where the hosting country, Canada last won gold. Group A will play out of the Canadian Tire Centre, the arena the Ottawa Senators call home. The Canadian Tire Centre will also host the semifinals and both medal games. Group B will play out of TD Place, home of the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Ottawa Charge of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) while also hosting the relegation match.
Who Is on the Outskirts Watching In?
The 2026 World Junior Championship seems far away, but the 2025 World Junior Championship Division 1A tournament has already taken place. Denmark earned a promotion from Division 1 to the top division as they wait to see who is relegated from the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa.
Norway was the last team to be relegated while Kazakhstan was promoted to this year’s tournament. The storyline of the year focuses on whether Latvia can remain in the top division and not be relegated this year.
Denmark, whose best finish came in 2017 (fifth place) will be closely watching who stays and who goes. They’ll be looking to keep their spot in the top division after their relegation in 2019.
2025 Tournament Schedule
For those who like to follow certain games or teams, below we at Inside The Rink have listed the entire schedule of games, including all quarterfinal, semifinal and medal-round games.
Editors note: game recaps will be linked once they are published
Thursday, Dec 26:
Sweden vs Slovakia, 11:00 am CST
Germany vs USA, 1:30 pm CST
Switzerland vs Czechia, 4:00 pm CST
Canada vs Finland, 6:30 pm CST
Friday, Dec 27:
Slovakia vs Switzerland, noon CST
Finland vs Germany, 2:30 pm CST
Kazakhstan vs Sweden, 4:00 pm CST
Canada vs Latvia, 6:30 pm CST
Saturday, Dec 28:
Czechia vs Kazakhstan, noon CST
USA vs Latvia, 2:30 pm CST
Sunday, Dec 29:
Sweden vs Switzerland, 11:00 am CST
Finland vs USA, 1:30 pm CST
Slovakia vs Czechia, 4:00 pm CST
Germany vs Canada, 6:30 pm CST
Monday, Dec 30:
Kazakhstan vs Slovakia, noon CST
Latvia vs Germany, 2:30 pm CST
Tuesday, Dec 31:
Switzerland vs Kazakhstan, 11:00 am CST
Latvia vs Finland, 1:30 pm CST
Czechia vs Sweden, 4:00 pm CST
USA vs Canada, 7:00 pm CST
Thursday, Jan 2:
Relegation game (A5 vs B5), 10:00 am CST
Quarterfinals game (1A vs 4B, 11:00 am CST
Quarterfinals game (2B vs 3A), 1:30 pm CST
Quarterfinals game (1B vs 4A), 4:00 pm CST
Quarterfinals game (2A vs 3B), 6:30 pm CST
Saturday, Jan 4:
Semifinals game (1A/4B vs 2B/3A), 2:30 pm CST
Semifinals game (1B/4A vs 2A/3B), 6:30 pm CST
Sunday, Jan 5:
Bronze Medal game, 2:30 pm CST
Gold/Silver Medal game, 6:30 pm CST
Discover more from Inside The Rink
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
