Russia returns to international ice hockey – this is how the comeback will happen

The Russian national team hockey makes a return to international ice hockey after a long break. The men’s and women’s student national teams will participate in the Winter Universiade to be held in Changchun, China, in January 2027.

The tournament will take place from January 15 to 25, and ice hockey is part of the official sports program.

The return is significant, as Russia has been excluded from the largest international ice hockey tournaments since the country invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The door to the Universiade opened after the International University Sports Federation (FISU) changed its stance regarding Russian athletes in May.

According to the new rules, Russian athletes cannot be excluded from FISU competitions solely based on their nationality. This policy also applies to team sports.

However, Russia will not return to international ice under completely normal circumstances. The men’s and women’s teams will have to play under neutral identifiers. The Russian flag or the country’s official uniforms will not be seen at the tournament.

FISU’s decision significantly differs from the current stance of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

In late July, the IIHF decided to keep Russia excluded from the men’s 2027 World Championships as well as the under-20 and under-18 World Championships. The decision is based on concerns related to safety, tournament organization, and sporting integrity.

The situation for the women’s national team in IIHF-sanctioned tournaments, on the other hand, is still open. Russia’s potential participation in the 2027 Women’s World Championships is to be assessed separately in November.