Ukraine at the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship
Ukraine’s national hockey team is set to begin its journey at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Division IA, hosted in Poland from May 2 to May 8. Six nations will compete in this tier: Kazakhstan, France, Ukraine, Japan, Poland, and Lithuania. This marks the second consecutive year Ukraine will play at this level, following a third-place finish in the previous tournament.
Match Schedule
The Ukrainian team’s game schedule for the 2026 World Championship is as follows:
- May 2 at 8:30 PM – vs. Poland
- May 3 at 5:00 PM – vs. Lithuania
- May 5 at 5:00 PM – vs. France
- May 7 at 5:00 PM – vs. Kazakhstan
- May 8 at 5:00 PM – vs. Japan
Broadcasts will be available on the Suspilne Sport platforms and local Suspilne channels.
Ahead of the tournament, head coach Oleh Shafarenko trimmed the squad by releasing seven players. The preliminary roster includes goaltenders:
- Bohdan Diachenko (Polonia Bytom, Poland)
- Oleh Petrov (Sokil, Ukraine)
- Oleksandr Levshyn (Prince George Cougars, Canada)
Defensemen on the list 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)
- Mykola Kosarev (Stavanger Oilers, Norway)
The 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
- Denys Borodai
- Mykyta Oliinyk (all – Sokil, Ukraine)
- Artem Buzovera (Coventry Blaze, Great Britain)
- Oleksii Yevtiekhov (Pardubice B, Czechia)
The Ukrainian squad is preparing with high hopes for a strong performance in Division IA.
Ukraine’s participation in the 2026 World Championship is a significant milestone not just for the team, but for the entire hockey community in the country, as Ukraine aims to solidify its standing on the international stage.
Building on last year’s successful campaign, the Ukrainian players have a chance to showcase their growth and raise the competitive bar in the division. A strong result at this tournament could unlock new opportunities for players at the club level and help boost hockey’s popularity back home.
As Ukraine's national hockey team prepares for their upcoming matches in the 2026 IIHF World Championship, it's worth noting the recent success of the U18 hockey squad, which kicked off their tournament with a notable victory over Slovenia. This highlights the growing talent within Ukrainian hockey and sets an optimistic tone for the senior team as they embark on their championship journey.