Huge uproar over Russia's World Championship return – now the main sponsor has spoken: threatens to withdraw

The possible return of Russia to the ice hockey World Championships has sparked an extraordinary sponsorship revolt.

Several significant partners of the ice hockey World Championships have already announced their withdrawal or threatened to end their cooperation if Russia is allowed back into international tournaments.

The Finnish tire manufacturer Nokian Renkaat announced on Tuesday that it would cease sponsorship of the 2027 World Championships if Russia participates in the tournament.

The Swedish company AJ Products has also announced its withdrawal from sponsoring the 2027 World Championships. The company has been supporting the tournament since 1989.

The biggest potential setback for the sponsorship revolt was experienced on Wednesday when the long-time main sponsor of the World Championships, Skoda Auto, announced it was considering reevaluating its cooperation.

The Czech car manufacturer has been sponsoring the World Championships since 1993.

The Czech betting company Tipsport has also announced that it does not want its advertisements to appear in Russia’s World Championship matches. The brewery Plzeňský Prazdroj, on the other hand, intends to prevent its logo from appearing in any potential matches between the Czech Republic and Russia.

The International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF has also come under increasing pressure from national teams.

In addition to Finland, countries such as Sweden, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Denmark have announced that their national teams refuse to play against Russia.

The dispute over Russia’s return took a new turn last Friday when the CAS overturned the ban on the country’s participation in international ice hockey competitions.

The 2027 Ice Hockey World Championships will be held in Germany from May 13 to 30.

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Main news | 04.11.2026 04:52