Canadian government official confirms visa denial of Russian players for 2027 World Juniors

Canada is digging in its heels about allowing Russia to play in Alberta next month.

According to TSN’s Gord Miller, the Canadian government has told both Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation it will not issue visas to Russian players seeking to play in the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship. Also, players who might already have visas – players in the Canadian Hockey League – are considered ineligible to participate, even if it was under a neutral flag.

This comes not long after Canadian prime minister Mark Carney stated that Russia “will not” be at the World Juniors, which are set to begin on Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

The whole debate on whether Russia would be allowed to play in the upcoming event came after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the Russian Ice Hockey Federation must be allowed to compete in IIHF events, citing that the IIHF didn’t provide enough evidence to keep the ban on Russian teams in place. The IIHF, along with numerous international hockey federations, has voiced its displeasure on the decision. Nations have come forward, stating that they won’t play Russia in any international events, with some big-time sponsors threatening to pull their funding from the IIHF, if Russia is allowed to compete.

As it stands, Norway, the last-ranked team heading into the WJC, has been informed that it will be removed from the tournament to make way for Russia. However, many expect Russia to be forced to back out, leading to Norway’s readmission to the event.

The ban on Russian hockey teams dates back to 2022, when the nation invaded Ukraine shortly after the Beijing Olympics.