France and Austria move up to the A World Cup
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The IIHF Council retrospectively pulled these two teams up because they recorded the top two finishes after the 14 athletically qualified teams in the ice hockey world rankings. France will take Russia’s place in Group A in Helsinki, Austria will take Belarus’ place in Group B in Tampere. The French will thus be opponents of the DEB selection.
In addition, the games in Helsinki will not be played in the Hartwall Arena as originally planned, as it is Russian-owned. Instead, the teams will play in the Helsinki Ice Hall, built in 1966, which will now host World Cup games for the fourth time. The ice stadium offers space for 8200 visitors.
With the rise of France and Austria, divisions 1A and 1B are reduced to five teams each; Lithuania advances from Division 1B to 1A. According to their sporting qualifications, Ukraine is planned as a participant in Division 1B.
For the aborted U20 World Cup in Canada, which are to be made up for in August, Latvia will move up as the tenth team. With this decision, it was already clear that the games played in December would not be evaluated for the new game. The IIHF has now confirmed this: the tournament will be completely restarted. The same players are eligible to play who were allowed to participate on the original date. A relegated is not determined; the effects on the U20 World Cup 2023, which is to be held over the turn of the year, will be discussed and decided at a later date.
to die U18 World Cup in Germany there are only eight teams. The tournament will now be held in Landshut and Kaufbeuren from April 23rd to May 1st. Germany meets Canada, the USA and the Czech Republic in its group. Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Latvia play in the parallel group. In the Women’s World Cup moves Sweden as the tenth team, in the U-18 women Slovakia as the eighth team.
Once the suspension of Russia and Belarus WILL BE lifted, the IIHF Council WILL decide how these teams will be reintegrated into the World Championship system.