Munich – October 31, 2026 -- The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) is considering returning its hosting rights for next year's World Championship if the financial risk becomes unmanageable, after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) cleared Russian national teams to return to international ice hockey for the 2026/27 season. The ruling overturned an earlier IIHF Council decision to keep Russia out.
DEB lists hosting-rights return as a last-resort option
DEB CEO Frank H. Lutz told MagentaSport that the federation will not take on an economic risk it cannot carry. He said he does not want to question the tournament and is "very optimistic" a solution will be found, but that the DEB must responsibly examine handing the event back.
DEB says it is host, not organizer, and had no standing in the CAS case
Lutz stressed that the IIHF organizes the tournament and the DEB only hosts it. The parties in the CAS proceedings were Russia and the IIHF. The DEB has no Plan B yet and is waiting for the IIHF to rule on the participant field and schedule. Lutz said that, to his knowledge, the IIHF meets on Monday to decide next steps, and that other World Championships are affected as well.
Ticket presale limits near-term exposure
The DEB has started advance ticket sales but has sold no individual tickets. Apart from the opening game, only day tickets have been sold. Lutz said this simplifies the situation slightly, though it does not make it better.
He added that a normal tournament would be commercially beneficial. Under the new circumstances, security costs would carry far greater weight, and the financial split between the IIHF, the DEB and German authorities will need negotiation.
Boycott risk centers on Latvia's legal ban
Lutz did not rule out boycotts by national federations. He cited Latvia, where a law prohibits competing against Russian teams, and said its implications for a World Championship would need review. He said he hopes for no boycott because athletes would suffer most.
Berlin talks planned next week
Lutz said he has held numerous calls with political decision-makers and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) since the ruling. He plans to travel to Berlin next week for meetings with politicians. He called the matter a political decision, saying the DEB cannot influence the federal government's stance on visas for Russian athletes.
Next year's field stays unchanged, promotion and relegation open
Lutz said the upcoming tournament will proceed with the known participant field and that Russia will not be added at the last minute. Future promotion and relegation arrangements remain for the IIHF to settle. He declined to speculate on whether Ukraine, the second promoted team, could theoretically yield a place to Russia, calling that scenario extremely difficult for the sport's reputation and integrity.
The process began in March, when the DEB learned Russia would push for reinstatement. An IIHF disciplinary committee hearing ran parallel to the May World Championship in Zurich, with Lutz appearing as a witness. The committee referred the matter back to the Council, which again refused Russia's participation. Russia took the case to CAS around late June or early July, and the CAS hearing was held on a Monday last week.