Ukraine’s national hockey team has secured promotion to the elite division of the Ice Hockey World Championship for the first time since 2007.
The team finished second at the 2026 IIHF World Championship Division I Group A, earning a spot in the top tier. In their final match of the tournament, Ukraine defeated Japan 3-1. Throughout the competition, the squad also recorded a 2-3 loss to Poland, a 2-1 win over Lithuania, a 3-2 victory against France, and a 4-5 shootout defeat to Kazakhstan.
Ukraine last competed in the elite division in 2007, with its best-ever finish being ninth place at the 2002 World Championship. The 2027 IIHF World Championship will be held in Düsseldorf and Mannheim, Germany. Kazakhstan, which won the Division I Group A tournament, will also participate in the elite division.
