2026 IIHF World Championship Betting Odds - Bet on Ice Hockey Championship

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) ice hockey World Championship is one of ice hockey’s biggest events. It’s an annual international hockey tournament, with the IIHF World Championship Division being the main event, as it features the top hockey-playing countries in the world, with many NHL players participating. The 2026 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled to take place from May 15-31, 2026, and will be hosted by Switzerland.

To prepare for this ice hockey event, learn everything you can about betting on ice hockey at Stake Sportsbook and introduce you to the key information you need to know ahead of the next IIHF World Championship.

What is the International Ice Hockey (IIHF) World Championship?

The IIHF World Championship is one of the most prestigious events in international ice hockey. Teams from around the world compete for the grand prize, with 16 teams competing in the first division. Canada is the most successful team in the 100+ year history of the competition, with 28 titles to their name. The United States will enter the 2026 IIHF World Championship as the reigning champion after winning the competition in 2025 for just the third time ever.

History of the IIHF World Championship

The first IIHF World Championship took place in 1920. The competition was initially played every four years and then became an annual event in 1930. Outside of 2020, when it was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 1940-1946 because of World War II, the IIHF World Championship has been played since 1930.

IIHF World Championship Teams

Team Canada was the dominant team early in IIHF history, winning the first six titles. Canadians remain the best team in IIHF history, winning 28 gold medals, which is more than any other nation, and 53 total medals, which is also more than any other nation. The Soviet Union/Russia is a close second with 27 gold medals. Also, Team Czechia and Team Sweden have 49 and 48 total medals, respectively. while the Soviet Union/Russia has 47 total medals. Surprisingly, Team USA has lagged with just 21 total medals and only 3 gold medals in IIHF World Championship history.

Previous Champions

For more recent history, here are the results of the last 10 IIHF World Championships:

Format & Schedule of the 2026 IIHF World Championship

The 2026 IIHF World Championships will feature national teams from 16 countries. Those teams are divided into 2 groups of 8 teams. The preliminary round consists of a round-robin, with the top 4 teams in each group advancing to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the bottom team in each group is relegated to the lower division for next year’s tournament.

These are the two groups:

Group A

• Austria

• Finland

• Germany

• Great Britain

• Latvia

• Hungary

• Switzerland

• United States

Group B

• Canada

• Czechia

• Denmark

• Italy

• Norway

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Sweden

After the preliminary round, there are 8 that participate in the knockout stage, which follows a single-elimination format. The two winners of the semi-final games play in the final, while the losers of the semi-final games play in the third-place game.

When is the IIHF World Championship 2026?

The 2026 IIHF Championships begin on May 15 and will conclude with the finals at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich on May 31. The IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship is a different annual event that features players under the age of 20. It is scheduled from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027.

How to Bet on the IIHF World Championship & Hockey Bet Types

Betting on the IIHF World Championship is simple. Just follow these steps to get started.

1. Use a passkey to log into your Stake account or create a new account.

2. Check your funds, and if necessary, add money to your account using one of several deposit methods. This includes both local currencies, such as Canadian Dollars, Turkish Lira, Vietnamese Dong, Argentine Pesos, Chilean Pesos, Mexican Pesos, USD in Ecuador, Philippine Pesos,andIndian Rupees, and a wide selection of cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, USDT, EOS, Doge, LTC, SOL, and TRX.

3. Locate the 2026 IIHF World Championship on a list of upcoming sporting events and explore the betting options available.

At Stake, you’ll find an extensive range of hockey betting options available for the 2026 IIHF World Championship, including the following:

• Match winner: This is a bet on the team you think will win a specific fixture in the World Championship.

• Handicap betting: If a team is heavily favoured in a specific match, you can back them with a handicap applied for better odds.

• Total goals: You can also bet on over/under a total number of goals to be scored in a World Championship match.

• Outright winner: Before the tournament, you can bet on the nation you think will win the event outright.

• Correct score: You can also place a bet on a match in the World Championship, finishing with a specific score. For instance, you might fancy Czechia to beat Finland 3-1 in the tournament opener.

• First half/second half winner: A popular proposition bet, you can place a wager on the team you think will win the first half and the team you think will win the second half of a match in the World Championship.

• Draw no bet: You can take a tie out of the equation by placing a draw no bet wager on the IIHF World Championship.

If you're just starting your betting journey, you can check out our online sports betting guide or our guide on how to bet on hockey!

Live Stream Ice Hockey & Live Betting Markets

As well as serving as the world’s leading sports betting platform, Stake.com is the best place to live stream sporting events directly from your account dashboard for free. During the IIHF World Championship, if there is a stream logo next to a game, you can watch the game live for free on the Stake platform. By watching live, you can track pre-game bets and consider your cashout options or place live bets because you’re watching the action unfold in real time.

Ice Hockey Betting Odds & Payouts

There are almost endless betting opportunities for ice hockey fans at Stake Sportsbook. You can also choose between American, fractional, and decimal odds when viewing odds and payouts before making your betting pick. Just choose the format you’re comfortable using before analysing and comparing options so you can place the best wager.

Ice Hockey Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies

Betting experience is always helpful when placing wagers on events like the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Those with experience tend to have a clear strategy and plan in place. They also know the value of using a system like the Kelly Criterion System to make good choices. When it comes to the IIHF World Championship, specifically, keep these tips in mind:

• Know the key players for each team before betting on a game. Not every star player in the world will participate, so make sure you know who has chosen to represent their country in this competition. It can also be a good idea to get acquainted with young, up-and-coming players like Ryan Leonard and Trey Augustine.

• Give the host nation the benefit of the doubt. It’s not a guarantee that hosting the tournament helps, but from time to time, it’s been a clear advantage. In fact, the IIHF World Championship has been won by a host nation two of the last three years - Finland in 2022 and Czechia in 2024. Plus, Latvia won its first-ever medal as a co-host in 2023, showing that home ice can be a big advantage in this competition.

• Always bet with your head, not your heart. This isn’t always easy when national pride is on the line. If you don’t think you can be subjective about the chances your favourite team has to win, don’t bet on one of their games.

Bet Bonuses, Promotions & Responsible Gambling

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At Stake, we fully support safe gambling habits. Betting on hockey and other sports should be fun. Therefore, we offer several resources, such as our Stake Smart guide, to help you manage your bankroll and make good choices. We also have a top-notch customer support team that’s always available to address questions and concerns.