CAS Ruling Forces IIHF to Readmit Russian Teams for 2026-27

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday that Russian teams must be allowed to play in International Ice Hockey Federation events, including the men's and women's world championships. CAS, sitting in Lausanne, overturned IIHF decisions that excluded Russia from events across the 2026-27 season.

The ruling is a notable win for Russia in its broader fight against sports bans linked to the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is a noted hockey fan who has previously played exhibition games with former stars.

Why did CAS side with Russia?

The court's reasoning was narrow. In a brief statement, CAS cited a lack of sufficient evidence supporting the IIHF's security concerns. That is the whole mechanism: the federation excluded Russia on safety grounds, and the tribunal found the file too thin to sustain it.

CAS drew a clear boundary around its decision. The panel said the ruling does not address whether Russia must compete without national symbols, as a team of neutral athletes — the model used in some other Olympic sports — or what it called other "organizational consequences." Those questions now fall back to the federation.

For practitioners, the takeaway is straightforward. Sports governing bodies that exclude a nation on safety grounds before a scheduled tournament now carry a real evidentiary burden at CAS. A stated risk, without supporting material, will not survive review.

How did the IIHF respond?

The federation expressed disappointment and stood by its original reasoning. It "maintains that its decisions were necessary to protect the safety and security of all participants and safeguard the integrity of its competitions."

The IIHF added: "While the IIHF respects the authority of CAS and will act in accordance with its ruling, the outcome does not remove the concerns that informed its assessments."

Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov took a victory lap on Telegram, writing that CAS "recognized the demands of the Russian Hockey Federation on key points as justified."

What does the ruling change on the ice?

The IIHF has barred Russian teams from its world championships since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia also missed the Olympic hockey tournaments this year. Friday's decision reverses that position for the 2026-27 cycle.

The first tournament where Russia could return is the men's world junior championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Canada, starting on December 26. The ruling also covers:

• The men's world championship in Germany next year
• The women's world championship in Canada next year
• The under-18 world championships in 2027 in Minnesota and the Czech Republic

Russia's return throws into uncertainty how the men's world championship will work next year in Germany, given that Ukraine has also qualified. The two teams have not met in an IIHF event since the exclusion began.

Who faces the immediate pressure?

The ruling lands directly on new IIHF President Franz Reindl, whose home country of Germany hosts the men's world championship next year. He must now build a tournament format that accommodates both Russia and Ukraine while the war continues, and decide how to handle the unresolved question of national symbols.

The history explains why Russia's absence mattered so much. In the history of the men's worlds, Russia's or the Soviet Union's 27 titles sit second only to Canada's 28. Russia last won the gold medal in 2014.