Fasel allowed the cancellation of the Ice hockey World Cup due to the non-admission of the Russian national team

Former President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Rene Fasel allowed the cancellation of the World Youth Championship (MFM) in 2027. According to him, this may happen if the organization does not find a way to ensure the participation of the Russian national team in the tournament.

Fasel noted that the main problem is finding a country ready to organize the championship in a short time if the competition is postponed from Canada. When asked about the possibility of hosting the tournament in the United States, he replied that it would be very difficult to do so.

"In the end, if they don't find a solution, they will have to cancel the tournament," Match TV quoted Fasel as saying.

Canada refuses to issue visas

Earlier, the Government of Canada officially notified the IIHF and the National Hockey Federation of the refusal to issue visas to Russian players to participate in the upcoming World Championship. The ban also applies to Belarusian hockey players. It is noteworthy that the restrictions will affect even those athletes who already have valid Canadian visas to play for local clubs.

Clubs for peace: The Cup of the Future will be a rehearsal for the return of the national team to the MFM

After the CAS decision, the St. Petersburg tournament gained special significance.

Adam Van Coverden, Secretary of State for Sports Affairs, explained the position of the Canadian authorities. According to TSN, the official said that these measures are aimed at preventing the use of international sporting events for state propaganda purposes. He also stressed that the status of neutral athletes, which is sometimes applied in international sports, can only be granted to individual athletes, but not to national teams.

The World Youth Championship is scheduled to be held in Canada in December. The tournament is scheduled in the province of Alberta — the matches are to be hosted by the cities of Edmonton and Red Deer between December 26, 2026 and January 5, 2027. The government of Alberta has already allocated $11 million for a series of hockey tournaments, the key of which is the MFM-2027.

Lack of alternatives

Rene Fasel, who currently holds the post of Honorary President of the IIHF, has repeatedly expressed support for Russia's participation in major tournaments. The Russian side also highlights the negative impact of the lack of competition on the quality of the competition. In addition, as TSN notes, Pavel Bure, a member of the IIHF council, insists that the level of world championships without the participation of the Russian national team is significantly decreasing.

Despite the logistical and visa difficulties, the issue of postponing or canceling the tournament remains a matter of debate within the hockey community. The lack of alternative venues capable of hosting a competition of this scale in a short time makes the threat of canceling the MFM-2027 real if the current political restrictions on the part of the host country persist.