Ukraine vs. France at the Ice Hockey World Championship
On May 5, 2026, at 17:00 Kyiv time, Ukraine’s national hockey team will take on France in the Division IA tournament of the World Championship. This matchup is critical for both sides as they look to climb the standings. According to bookmaker GGBET, the odds are set as follows: France to win—1.97, Ukraine to win—2.72, and a draw in regulation or overtime—4.26. Additional betting options include total goals: over 5.5 goals at 2.01 and under 5.5 goals at 1.75.
Current Team Standings
Ukraine currently sits in fourth place with 3 points and a goal difference of 4:4 after three rounds. The team has recorded one win and two losses so far: a 2:3 defeat to Poland and a 2:1 victory over Lithuania. France, on the other hand, holds second place with 5 points, having beaten Japan 4:3 and secured an overtime win against Poland (3:2).
After the third round, the tournament table looks like this:
- Kazakhstan – 6 points (goal difference 10:1)
- France – 5 points (goal difference 7:5)
- Poland – 4 points (goal difference 5:5)
- Ukraine – 3 points (goal difference 4:4)
- Lithuania – 0 points (goal difference 2:6)
- Japan – 0 points (goal difference 3:10)
Ukraine’s head coach is Dmytro Khrystych. The squad includes goaltenders Bohdan Diachenko (Polonia Bytom, Poland), Oleh Petrov (Sokil, Ukraine), and Oleksandr Levshyn (Prince George Cougars, Canada). Defensemen are Ihor Merezhko (Plzeň, Czechia), Artem Hrebenyk (Caen, France), Denys Matusevych (Kremenchuk, Ukraine), Oleksii Dakhnovskyi (Košice, Slovakia), Yevhenii Ratushnyi (Sokil, Ukraine), Ivan Sysak (Feltre, Italy), and Mykola Kosarev (Stavanger Oilers, Norway). Forwards include Oleksandr Peresunko (Unia, Poland), Daniil Trakht (Lukko, Finland), Andrii Denyskin (Toruń, Poland), Oleksii Vorona (Toruń, Poland), Vitalii Lialka (Kremenchuk, Ukraine), Stanislav Sadovikov (Berani Zlín, Czechia), Ilarion Kupriianov (Dukla Jihlava, Czechia), Yevhen Fadieiev (Snackpoint Eaters Limburg, Netherlands), Feliks Morozov (Morzine-Avoriaz, France), Viktor Zakharov (Sokil, Ukraine), Denys Borodai (Sokil, Ukraine), Mykyta Oliinyk (Sokil, Ukraine), and Artem Buzoveria (Coventry Blaze, Great Britain).
Ukraine’s schedule for the 2026 World Championship:
- May 2 – Poland 3:2
- May 3 – Lithuania 2:1
- May 5 – France
- May 7 – Kazakhstan
- May 8 – Japan
Matches will be broadcast on Suspilne Sport and local Suspilne channels.
The Ukraine–France game carries major implications for both teams, as the outcome could significantly shift their positions in the standings. Ukraine has a chance to boost its prospects for advancing to the next round, while France aims to solidify its spot among the leaders. Success in this contest will hinge on the performance of key players and the tactical decisions made by the coaching staff. Both sides bring notable strengths to the ice, making this a highly competitive and unpredictable encounter.
As Ukraine prepares for this pivotal match against France, insights from the head coach on the team's prospects in the tournament can provide a deeper understanding of what lies ahead. For a closer look at the coach's perspective and the team's strategy following their recent victory over Lithuania, read more about it here.