Hockey 2024: Schedule of Matches and Main Events of the Year

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World Championship: Ice Hockey 2024 and Other Events This Year

The previous World Hockey Championship, held at the stadiums of Finland and Latvia, gathered thousands of fans and millions of viewers from different countries around the world. It is one of the main events in hockey and sports that always attracts attention. The competition at this year’s World Hockey Championship will start with the group stage, where 8 teams from each group will play against each other, and the top 4 winners will advance to the playoffs. All teams are distributed according to the ranking, and the results of the competition will be one of the stages of qualification for the next championship in 2025. Teams that occupy places from 1 to 7 will automatically advance to the next games, and the remaining places will be contested among the participants of the first division. The Czech national team, as the host country, automatically qualified for the tournament.

Groups:

• Group A – USA, Sweden, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Poland, France.
• Group B – Finland, Canada, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Great Britain.

Favorites of the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship

Every Ice Hockey World Championship brings surprises and unexpected twists that make fans around the world excited and more interested in the matches and the standings. However, even at the preliminary stage, experts identify favorites and main contenders for the cup. Traditionally, the strongest national teams in the world are considered favorites, teams that have repeatedly demonstrated brilliant results.

One of the main contenders for the World Cup this year is considered to be the Finnish national team. While NHL stars from other teams contemplate whether to participate in the World Championship or not, Finland consistently fields a lineup of the strongest players each year.

Meanwhile, the Canadian national team has been sending less formidable squads to the World Championship over the past few years, but that hasn’t hindered them from achieving excellent results. Many international hockey stars from Canada decline participation in the championship due to a tight training schedule and commitments in the NHL, as well as numerous advertising contracts. Additionally, the absence of the Russian national team, previously considered one of the main competitors to the Canadians, is seen by many experts as another reason to be less meticulous in selecting the team roster. However, the Canadians, even without a star-studded lineup, appear confident. The average age of the team is only 26 years, indicating a high level of physical fitness. As in the previous year, Tomas  Shabo and Matthew Barzal, two of the country’s strongest hockey players, will play for the Canadian national team in the upcoming championship.

The national teams of the Czech Republic and Germany are expected by experts to be dark horses this year and surprise fans. As practice has shown, when almost no one believes in these teams, they unexpectedly demonstrate worthy results and secure prize-winning positions. The United States, like Canada, is not fielding the strongest line up. Therefore, critics do not anticipate surprises from this team.

Youth World Ice Hockey Championship 2024

Another important event this year is the Youth Ice Hockey Championship 2024, which started in late December 2023 in Sweden and concluded on January 5, 2024, with the victory of the USA. As always, 10 teams participated in the championship, divided into 2 groups. The top 4 teams from each group advanced to the playoffs, while the teams that finished in fifth place competed for a spot in the elite division.

The group compositions are as follows:

• Group A – Sweden, Canada, Germany, Finland, Latvia.
• Group B – Czech Republic, USA, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland.

As expected by experts, the playoffs from Group A featured Canada and two Scandinavian teams, while the last playoff spot was contested between Germany and Latvia. The experts labelled Norway as the outsider in Group B, and it predictably took the last spot. Bookmakers considered Team Canada the main contender for the cup, the winner of the previous championship. However, similar chances for victory were attributed to the Americans, who presented a strong roster for the championship. In the end, the U.S. claimed the top spot, Sweden secured the second position, and the third spot went to the Czech Republic.

NHL Season 2023-2024

Hockey fans closely follow not only the events around the World Championship but also the tournaments of the National Hockey League (NHL). In October 2023, the 106th NHL season began, which will conclude on April 19, 2024. From April to June, the Stanley Cup playoffs series will take place. This year, the titleholder of the prestigious hockey award will be defending champion Vegas Golden Knights from Nevada.

The preseason games between the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes, held in Melbourne in September 2023, marked the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. These were the first NHL games in Australia. The NHL Global Series started in November in Stockholm.

The All-Star Game this year will be held in Toronto on February 3 at the Scotiabank Arena.

Field Hockey 2024

Let’s not forget about field hockey, which is part of the program for the Summer Olympic Games. Paris is hosting the Olympics this year. Twelve men’s and twelve women’s field hockey teams will compete at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium in the suburbs of Paris. The tournament will take place from July 27 to August 9.

The current leaders in the world rankings are the Australians, considered one of the main favorites for the future Olympics. Experts also recommend keeping an eye on the performance of the men’s team from India, which has become the most successful team in this sport throughout Olympic history. In the women’s world rankings for field hockey, the team from the Netherlands is leading.

Hockey Match Schedule for 2024

As we mentioned earlier, the World Championship this year is hosted by the Czech Republic, with games taking place at the stadiums in Prague and Ostrava. The tournament kicks off on May 10 and concludes on the 16th.

The main matches will be held at the Prague Arena, accommodating 17 thousand fans and spectators. Less prominent games will take place in Ostrava, on a smaller stadium.

First Playoff Matches on May 10, 2024

The first playoff matches are set to take place on May 10, 2024. On this day, the following games will be played:

– Slovakia vs. Germany

– Switzerland vs. Norway

– Czech Republic vs. Finland

– Sweden vs. USA

The World Championship hockey games will be held daily from May 10 to May 21. We will gradually introduce you to the detailed schedule of hockey in 2024, publishing the current schedule, game times, team line-ups, and much more interesting information.

To stay informed about the latest events, read our news portal and follow updates. We will keep updating the World Championship in hockey 2024 standings, National Hockey League games, and other events that await us this year. Also, on our portal, you will always find links to live broadcasts. To watch hockey from your smartphone in excellent quality, download our mobile application.