IIHF World Championship 2026 Betting Preview: Predictions, Odds, & Best Bets

IIHF 2026 Group A Preview and Predictions

• • United States
  • Switzerland
  • Finland
  • Germany
  • Latvia
  • Austria
  • Hungary
  • Great Britain

The United States is the class of Group A at this year’s event. They are expected to win without too much resistance from the rest of this competition. Switzerland and Finland are expected to be their biggest threats, but they’re unlikely to compete.

Switzerland’s hockey program has made steady progress over the last decade. The Swiss are producing more talent and closing the gap, but they still remain a clear step behind the world’s elite teams. Finland, on the other hand, was typically a perennial contender at the IIHF World Championship.

From 2019 to 2022, the Finns won two gold medals and one silver in three tournaments. Since then, however, they have failed to finish inside the top four.

The current IIHF World Championship odds reflect this downturn, with Finland now listed only as the fifth favorite to win the tournament. However, they are going to have a chance for an upset if other team’s stars don’t show up to play.

IIHF 2026 Group B Preview and Predictions

• • Canada
  • Sweden
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Slovakia
  • Denmark
  • Slovenia
  • Italy

Two of the top three favorites to win IIHF gold are in Group B. Canada and Sweden are both seen as legitimate championship contenders, with the silver medalists from the 2026 Winter Olympics entering as the overall favorite to capture their first world title since 2023.

Sweden owns the third-best odds but hasn’t claimed gold in eight years. The Swedes have underwhelmed with consecutive third place finishes in 2024 and 2025, and much of their outlook depends on which players are actually available.

Even so, expectations remain high, and Sweden will demand a better result this time.

Beyond Canada and Sweden, Czechia has the next-best chance within Group B. However, the Czechs carry only a 12.5% implied probability of finishing on top. Despite their rich hockey pedigree, I don’t view Czechia as a serious threat in Switzerland.

Team Canada is the clear team to beat and should take the top of the table in Group B.

Canada (+200)

Although a win at the IIHF World Championship won’t alleviate the pain from losing to the USA in the Olympics, there will be a little more pressure in the shadow of the Winter Games. Questions regarding their roster are up in the air, but there was some clarity over the last few days.

Canada will receive a huge boost with additions of John Tavares and Mark Scheifele. While they didn’t make the Olympic roster, there was an argument to be made that they should have been on the team. That’s especially true for Scheifele, who finished the NHL regular season fifth in the league with 103 points.

Tavares’ faceoff ability would have been welcome as well. Even in a down year for the Maple Leafs, he continued to play hard and still produced 31 goals and 40 assists in 82 games. He didn’t miss a single regular season game and remained injury-free throughout.

Along with Tavares and Scheifele, the St. Louis Blues’ Robert Thomas and the Nashville Predators’ Ryan O’Reilly have committed to play for Team Canada. That means the Canadians won’t be short on veteran talent, and there should be plenty of motivation after so many of these players were left off the Olympic roster.

“I want to go over there and win a gold medal.” 🥇

Mark Scheifele commits to play for Team Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/iHakt3vXSv

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 17, 2026

Team Canada could also get younger and faster down the middle. 21-year-old Adam Fantilli, who was on the 2025 roster, would again be a terrific addition for center depth.

There’s also the possibility of Blackhawks’ star Connor Bedard. He skipped the IIHF World Championship last year, and there’s no guarantee he changes his mind in 2026. If he does suit up, his presence could push Canada close to even-money favorites.

In goal, two of Canada’s Olympic netminders, Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson, are available since they’re not in the playoffs, though neither has confirmed yet. If Canada has to turn to someone like Samuel Montembeault instead, my confidence in their chances drops.

There are a few other names to watch as well. Dylan Cozens and Lawson Crouse are currently in the playoffs with the Ottawa Senators and Utah Mammoth, but neither team is favored to advance past the first round. If they become available, they would add even more depth.

Overall, I like the potential makeup of this Team Canada roster, and I believe they deserve to be favored to win the gold.

USA (+300)

With the players at their disposal, the 2026 Olympic champions could easily be the betting favorites again. However, there are even more questions surrounding this roster than there are with Canada.

Team USA will have the option to invite Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Kyle Connor, and Connor Hellebuyck to their lineup.

If the Minnesota Wild make an early exit from the playoffs, Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, and Brock Faber will likely receive invitations to Switzerland as well. The Bruins and Senators also enter the opening round as underdogs, which means Brady Tkachuk, Jake Anderson, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman could become available for the tournament.

In other words, Team USA could come close to replicating its Olympic roster at the World Championship. I think that will be difficult to pull off, though. Building a lineup that closely resembles the Olympic team would instantly make Team USA the favorite, but how many of those Olympic players will actually suit up?

Many will likely pass after a long and grueling season that already included the Olympic schedule.

In his postseason media availability, Hellebuyck sounded like a player ready to head into the offseason. He showed no indication that he was interested in playing at the Worlds after the Winnipeg Jets missed the playoffs.

It’s been a demanding year, and the travel schedule has taken its toll on the Olympic players as well. Among the Americans who are available and did not go to the Olympics, Alex DeBrincat and Adam Fox stand out as obvious additions.

RED WINGS WIN 💥

Alex DeBrincat is the hero in @Energizer overtime for the @DetroitRedWings! pic.twitter.com/a7fgtscwBy

— NHL (@NHL) January 19, 2026

After becoming only the seventh player in Montreal Canadiens’ history to score 50+ goals, Cole Caufield would be a massive acquisition for the USA. The Canadiens are underdogs against the Lightning, but his status depends on a few things. The same applies to Dallas Stars’ forward Jason Robertson, who would be a strong addition.

It’s going to be tough for the USA to duplicate the impressive depth they had at the Olympics. That said, if they can get a few stars to commit, they could be the favorite to win in May.

Sweden (+400)

Team Sweden is a strong contender and currently sits as the third-best favorite to win the IIHF World Hockey Championship. Like Team USA, however, their true potential depends on how many star players are willing to travel to Switzerland and suit up for the national team.

If Sweden can convince enough top talent to participate, they could ice one of the best lineups in the tournament. William Nylander, Elias Pettersson, and Jesper Bratt are three high-end playmakers who are already out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That said, Pettersson is unlikely to join the team, while Bratt and Nylander are still weighing their options.

"I think every kid dreams about playing for their country and getting a chance to do so. Being able to score a goal is obviously huge and it's a special feeling, a little bit more special than usual."

Mika Zibanejad on scoring for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off: pic.twitter.com/H4y9ssTaBn

— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 15, 2025

There are more question marks beyond that trio. Filip Forsberg, Lucas Raymond, and Mika Zibanejad have yet to confirm their plans. Zibanejad appears the most likely to play, while Forsberg and Raymond both represented Sweden last year and could return again.

Goaltending, traditionally a strength for Sweden, is another uncertainty. Jacob Markström has already declined, and Linus Ullmark and Filip Gustavsson are still in the playoffs. Anton Forsberg is also playing in the first round with the Los Angeles Kings.

The Senators, Wild, and Kings are all underdogs in their opening series, so an early exit for any of them could free up at least one of those goalies to accept an invite.

Right now, there are simply too many unknowns to make confident IIHF World Championship predictions about Sweden. If they can’t secure a handful of their star players, it will be difficult to keep pace with powerhouses like Canada and the USA. Unlike those two nations, Sweden doesn’t have the same level of depth to comfortably absorb the absence of multiple key contributors.