IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship

The International Ice Hockey Federation’s Under-18 Men’s World Championship tournament runs April 21 to May 2. It features 10 nations competing in 29 games across 12 days. The full tournament schedule, including preliminary-round matchups and the path to the bronze and gold-medal games on May 2, is available at iihf.com.

The IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship is the premier showcase for the world’s best NHL draft-eligible players, giving fans an early look at many of hockey’s future stars competing on the international stage.

The 10 participating nations are divided into two groups, with each team playing the other four in its group during the preliminary round. The top four teams from each group move on to the quarterfinals on April 29, with winners advancing to the semifinals on May 1.

The bronze medal game is at 1 p.m. on May 2, followed by the gold medal game at 5 p.m.

Single-game tickets for the preliminary round start at $15. Games can also be watched on iihf.tv.

Tournament alumni include Olympic gold medalists and Minnesota Wild standouts Matt Boldy and Quinn Hughes, as well as fellow Team USA stars Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, and Matthew and Brady Tkachuk. University of Minnesota Duluth forward and Hermantown native Max Plante, winner of the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, as well as his brother Victor Plante, an incoming freshman for the Bulldogs, each represented Team USA at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship before joining the collegiate ranks.