Czech Ice Hockey Sets Sights on Hosting 2031 World Championship

The Czech Ice Hockey Association reviewed the past two years and outlined new objectives during its evaluation conference. The main focus is on a bid to host the 2031 Ice Hockey World Championship, preparations for the 2030 World Junior Championship, and a change to transfer regulations in youth hockey.

In an interview for the Czech Ice Hockey Association’s website (Český hokej), vice-president Petr Bříza said that the Czech Republic intends to bid for the 2031 senior World Championship. Prague and Brno are being considered as potential host cities. Both cities have large arenas, strong infrastructure and the potential to attract large numbers of fans.

According to Bříza, Brno has put itself in a particularly strong position, among other things through the construction of a new arena with a capacity of around 12,500 spectators. Its proximity to Slovakia could also be an economic advantage if the Slovak national team were to play there.

Bříza also pointed to the successful World Championships that the Czech Republic has hosted in recent years. The country has demonstrated that it can organise and finance major tournaments. At the same time, he acknowledged that the final decision rests with the delegates of the IIHF Congress and that other candidates, including new markets such as Great Britain, could also play a role.

It is already certain that the Czech Republic will host the 2030 IIHF World Junior Championship. A second venue alongside Brno is still being sought for the tournament. Cities under consideration include Ostrava, Jihlava, Pardubice and České Budějovice. According to the association, discussions will be held with several cities to determine the best conditions.

Another key topic is the new regulation concerning youth players. In future, young players should be able to move more easily to another club on loan, even without the consent of their current club. Bříza described the change as an important step that had been discussed for years.

Until now, 16, 17 and 18-year-old players in the Czech Republic have often been blocked by high transfer fees. The new regulation is intended to allow them to continue their development at other clubs and gain more playing time. Smaller clubs in particular could benefit, as they are often able to offer young players greater opportunities on the ice.

Bříza also sees this as a way of reducing the number of young talents leaving for foreign leagues. The Czech Republic needs to move closer to models used in countries such as Sweden and Finland, where youth players can move more freely and financial compensation only becomes a more significant factor at a later stage. However, he stressed that it is equally important for young players to be willing to establish themselves in domestic competition rather than moving to North America at an early age.



Český svaz ledního hokeje
Website | Facebook | Instagram