Canada-USA opener highlights 2027 Worlds schedule in Germany
The 2027 IIHF World Championship will be held in Germany from May 13-30, with the opening game at a football stadium. Canada and the USA will face off on the first full day in Düsseldorf. Finland are the defending champions.
The tournament opens with Germany facing Switzerland at the 61,574-seat Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, a football venue, before regular play shifts to Mannheim and Düsseldorf. Canada and the United States meet on the first full day in Düsseldorf, with both teams playing all seven group games at that venue.
The field includes Ukraine and Kazakhstan, who earned promotion from Division I Group A in 2026. Finland enter as defending champions. The schedule reserves May 26 and 28 as travel days, and day passes covering all games at a venue start at EUR 69 in Düsseldorf and EUR 79 in Mannheim.
The Canada-USA opener could draw significant early attention to the tournament, potentially boosting viewership and ticket sales in both North American markets. The unusual football-stadium opening game may broaden the event's appeal beyond traditional hockey audiences. For German organizers, strong attendance and competitive early matchups could reinforce the country's reputation as a reliable host for major international events, though the impact will depend on how the games unfold.