TL;DR: Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
We're still buzzing from the international hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but 2026 is not done yet. We know the focus of the ice hockey world is firmly fixed on the resolution of the NHL season right now, but the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is here to offer something to fans without a vested interest in the Stanley Cup.
This tournament doesn't have quite the same prestige as the Winter Olympics, but the 2024 World Championship was the most successful in terms of overall attendance. We're expecting this tournament in Switzerland to be just as popular as the USA, Canada, Czechia, Sweden, Finland, and other top sides battle it out on the ice.
If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
What is the Ice Hockey World Championships?
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round played in a single round robin format. The top-four ranked teams of each group advance to the knockout rounds.
The defending champions are Czechia.
When is the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships?
The 2026 IIHF World Championships will take place from May 15-31. This year's tournament will be hosted by Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.
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How to watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free
The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.
IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access
Connect to IIHF.TV
Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the tournament before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.