For the first time in history, Team USA will take the ice in the IIHF World Junior Championship as a two-time reigning Gold medalist—the world champions of under-20 hockey.

For the 2026 edition, the WJC returns to the US for the first time since 2018. This year, all eyes turn to the land of 10,000 lakes along the border to Canada, Minnesota, over the Christmas and New Years holidays.

The United States has never done better than Bronze when playing on their home ice, making this year the perfect chance to make history in more ways than one.

• Watch Elite Junior And College Hockey All Season On FloHockey
• Team USA World Junior Camp Roster 2026 Revealed: Instant Analysis
  
• Team Canada Lineup For World Juniors Following Camp Cuts With Analysis
• Follow FloHockey's Coverage Of The 2026 World Junior Championship

The World Juniors get started on Friday, December 26 and FloHockey is providing coverage throughout the tournament. Here's the full list of past  winners.

All Past World Juniors Hockey Winners: Here's The Full List

Includes official IIHF tournaments after 1977.

• 2025: United States
• 2024: United States
• 2023: Canada
• 2022: Canada
• 2021: United States
• 2020: Canada
• 2019: Finland
• 2018: Canada
• 2017: United States 
• 2016: Finland
• 2015: Canada
• 2014: Finland
• 2013: United States 
• 2012: Sweden
• 2011: Russia
• 2010: United States
• 2009: Canada
• 2008: Canada
• 2007: Canada
• 2006: Canada 
• 2005: Canada
• 2004: United States
• 2003: Russia
• 2002: Russia
• 2001: Czech Republic
• 2000: Czech Republic
• 1999: Russia
• 1998: Finland
• 1997: Canada
• 1996: Canada
• 1995: Canada
• 1994: Canada
• 1993: Canada
• 1992: CIS
• 1991: Canada
• 1990: Canada
• 1989: Soviet Union
• 1988: Canada
• 1987: Finland
• 1986: Soviet Union
• 1985: Canada
• 1984: Soviet Union
• 1983: Soviet Union
• 1982: Canada
• 1981: Sweden
• 1980: Soviet Union
• 1979: Soviet Union
• 1978: Soviet Union
• 1977: Soviet Union

IIHF World Juniors Hockey Medal Count

Country - Gold, Silver, Bronze

1. Canada - 20, 10, 5
2. Russia/Soviet Union/CIS - 13, 13, 11
3. United States - 7, 2, 7
4. Finland - 5, 6, 7
5. Sweden - 2, 12, 7
6. Czechia/Czechoslovakia - 2, 6, 9
7. Slovakia - 0, 0, 1
8. Switzerland - 0, 0, 1

How to Watch the 2026 World Juniors Hockey In Canada, US

All games during 2026 World Juniors tournament will be broadcast live on the NHL Network for viewers in the US. 

The network will air live game telecasts of the World Junior Championships plus analysis, highlights, and interviews about the tournament.

If you live in Canada, you can watch each game on TSN.

You can also follow along on FloHockey for the latest news throughout the tournament.

• Follow us on X @FloHockey
• Follow us on Instagram @flohockey
• Follow us on TikTok @flohockeytv
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook

2026 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule

View the full schedule below for the Group Stage and playoff rounds of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota. FloHockey will provide free live updates for each USA and Canada game including analysis, scoring summaries, and highlights.

Friday, December 26

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Sweden vs Slovakia
• 2:30 p.m. ET - Denmark vs Finland
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Germany vs USA *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Czechia vs Canada *Live Updates*

Saturday, December 27

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Slovakia vs Germany
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Latvia vs Canada *Live Updates*
• 6:00 p.m. ET - USA vs Switzerland *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Denmark vs Czechia

Sunday, December 28

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Sweden vs Switzerland
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Finland vs Latvia

Monday, December 29

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Germany vs Sweden
• 3:30 p.m. ET - Finland vs Czechia
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Slovakia vs USA *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Canada vs Denmark *Live Updates*

Tuesday, December 30

• 2:00 p.m. ET - Switzerland vs Germany
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Latvia vs Denmark

Wednesday, December 31

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Switzerland vs Slovakia
• 3:30 p.m. ET - Czechia vs Latvia
• 6:00 p.m. ET - USA vs Sweden *Live Updates*
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Canada vs Finland *Live Updates*

Friday, January 2

• 12:30 p.m. ET - Relegation Game
• 2:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 1
• 4:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 2
• 6:00 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 3
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Quarterfinals Game 4

Sunday, January 4

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 1
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Semifinals Game 2

Monday, January 5

• 4:30 p.m. ET - Bronze Medal Game
• 8:30 p.m. ET - Gold Medal Game

2026 World Junior Championship Teams

View the list of teams, by group, for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Group A

• USA
• Germany
• Switzerland
• Sweden
• Slovakia

Group B

• Canada
• Czechia
• Latvia
• Denmark
• Finland

Follow FloHockey's Coverage Of The 2026 World Junior Championship

FloHockey will be on site for complete coverage of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can expect game-by-game coverage of both Team USA and Team Canada from FloHockey's experts, interviews with key players and coaches and much more. Follow FloHockey's WJC coverage here.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

Join The Hockey Conversation On FloHockey Social

• Follow us on X @FloHockey
• Follow us on Instagram @flohockey
• Follow us on TikTok @flohockeytv
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook