How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026: FREE live streams, schedule for ice hockey tournament

(Image credit: Michael Campanella via Getty Images) Watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams as the 16 best countries in men's ice hockey convene in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, to duke it out to become world champions.You can watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE! IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams: TV schedule, datesThe 2026 IIHF World Championship runs from Friday, May 15 to Sunday, May 31.• Austria — ORF On (FREE select games)• U.S. — NHL Network via Sling TV• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free The emphatic shift in the balance of power from Canada towards the U.S. over the past 12 months means the IIHF World Championship needs little introduction. The Canucks took the 4 Nations Face-Off crown last year, but Mike Sullivan's men hit back by winning the World Championship for the first time in 65 years and a first Olympic gold since 1980's Miracle on Ice.Although Canada got to the Winter Olympics final, they were arguably Milano-Cortina's biggest disappointment. Aside from Macklin Celebrini, who's been made captain for Switzerland 2026, nobody played to their potential, and they narrowly avoided an early exit not once but twice. At last year's World Championship, they suffered a quarter-final exit at the hands of Denmark in one of the biggest upsets of all time. Sidney Crosby is a surprise late call-up.Tage Thompson’s overtime winner, meanwhile, secured a 1-0 victory in the final. The result condemned Switzerland to a second straight runner-up finish, following a 2-0 defeat by Czechia 12 months earlier. It was an especially disappointing outcome considering Die Nati were the tournament top-scorers in 2025. With home advantage, Jan Cadieux's men are dreaming of going one better this time around, despite coach Patrick Fishcher's recent April sacking over a fake COVID-19 vaccine certificate.Thirteen-time winners Czechia are serious contenders too, as are 11-time champions Sweden, who are coming off two straight semi-final defeats, while the NHL Playoffs have been especially kind to Finland, whose roster is loaded with top-tier talent no longer in Stanley Cup contention.Check out all of the TV and streaming details below to find out how to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 from anywhere, including free options. IIHF World Championship schedule 2026 Click to see more ▼ GROUP PHASEFriday, May 1510:20 a.m. — Canada vs Sweden10:20 a.m. — Finland vs Germany2:20 p.m. — USA vs Switzerland2:20 p.m. — Czechia vs DenmarkSaturday, May 166:20 a.m. — GBR vs Austria6:20 a.m. — Slovakia vs Norway10:20 a.m. — Hungary vs Finland10:20 a.m. — Italy vs Canada2:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs Latvia2:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs CzechiaSunday, May 176:20 a.m. — GBR vs USA6:20 a.m. — Italy vs Slovakia10:20 a.m. — Austria vs Hungary10:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Sweden2:20 p.m. — Germany vs Latvia2:20 p.m. — Norway vs SloveniaMonday, May 1810:20 a.m. — Finland vs USA10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Denmark2:20 p.m. — Germany vs Switzerland2:20 p.m. — Sweden vs CzechiaTuesday, May 1910:20 a.m. — Latvia vs Austria10:20 a.m. — Italy vs Norway2:20 p.m. — Hungary vs GBR2:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs SlovakiaWednesday, May 2010:20 a.m. — Austria vs Switzerland10:20 a.m. — Czechia vs Italy2:20 p.m. — USA vs Germany2:20 p.m. — Sweden vs SloveniaThursday, May 2110:20 a.m. — Latvia vs Finland10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Norway2:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs GBR2:20 p.m. — Denmark vs SlovakiaFriday, May 2210:20 a.m. — Germany vs Hungary10:20 a.m. — Canada vs Slovenia2:20 p.m. — Finland vs GBR2:20 p.m. — Sweden vs ItalySaturday, May 236:20 a.m. — Latvia vs USA6:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Slovenia10:20 a.m. — Switzerland vs Hungary10:20 a.m. — Slovakia vs Czechia2:20 p.m. — Austria vs Germany2:20 p.m. — Norway vs SwedenSunday, May 2410:20 a.m. — GBR vs Latvia10:20 a.m. — Denmark vs Italy2:20 p.m. — Finland vs Austria2:20 p.m. — Slovakia vs CanadaMonday, May 2510:20 a.m. — USA vs Hungary10:20 a.m. — Czechia vs Norway2:20 p.m. — Germany vs GBR2:20 p.m. — Slovenia vs ItalyTuesday, May 266:20 a.m. — Hungary vs Latvia6:20 a.m. — Norway vs Denmark10:20 a.m. — USA vs Austria10:20 a.m. — Sweden vs Slovakia2:20 p.m. — Switzerland vs Finland2:20 p.m. — Czechia vs CanadaPLAYOFFSQuarter-finalsThursday, May 2810:20 a.m. — Quarter-final 110:20 a.m. — Quarter-final 22:20 p.m. — Quarter-final 32:20 p.m. — Quarter-final 4Semi-finalsSaturday, May 309:20 a.m. — Semi-final 12 p.m. — Semi-final 2FinalsSunday, May 319:30 a.m. — Third-place playoff2:20 p.m. — IIHF World Championship final 2026(All times ET) Watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams for FREE You can watch select IIHF World Championship games free-of-charge on ORF On in Austria.Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution — you can use a VPN to to unblock that free ice hockey coverage. Details below... How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 from anywhere Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the ice hockey on your usual subscription?You can still watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market: Using a VPN is incredibly simple.1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch the free IIHF World Championship coverage on ORF On, choose 'Austria' from the list.3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ORF On and watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live. How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams in the U.S. (Image credit: Shutterstock) In the U.S., every game of the IIHF World Championship is being shown on NHL Network.If you've already cut the cord and don't have a cable package, you can get the channel through an OTT cable TV alternative.Sling will give you the most bang for your buck. NHL Network is included in the $11/month Sports Extra addon, which can be tacked onto the $19.99/month Essentials plan, which itself includes ESPN and ESPN2.The DirecTV Stream MySports Genre Pack carries NHL Network as standard, and costs $64.99/month after a 7-day FREE trial, plus new customers get $20 off each of their first two months.If you have a subscription but you're not in the U.S. right now, try using NordVPN to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 as if you were back at home. How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams in the U.K. (Image credit: Shutterstock) IIHF World Championship 2026 is yet to pick up a broadcaster in the U.K.Comprehensive coverage is being provided by IIHF.tv, where a tournament pass costs €30 (billed in Euros).Past editions have been available to watch on Premier Sports in the U.K. and there could be a late deal done.If you're not in the U.K., you can still follow your usual IIHF World Championship live stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN. How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams in Canada (Image credit: Shutterstock) In Canada, TSN is showing IIHF World Championship 2026.The TSN+ streaming service grants access to everything TSN has to offer for CA$8/month or CA$80/year.If you live in Canada but aren't at home right now, you can still watch the IIHF World Championship by using a quality VPN like NordVPN to unlock your usual service. How to watch IIHF World Championship 2026 live streams in Australia (Image credit: Shutterstock) Comprehensive IIHF World Championship coverage is being provided by IIHF.tv in Australia, where a tournament pass costs €30 (~AU$49).Not in Australia right now? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to tune in on your account as if you were back home. What are the IIHF World Championship 2026 groups?Group AUSASwitzerlandFinlandGermanyLatviaAustriaHungaryGBRGroup BCanadaSwedenCzechiaDenmarkSlovakiaNorwaySloveniaItaly Who has won the most IIHF World Championship titles?Canada leads the all-time medal table with 28 IIHF World Championship titles, including two from the last five editions of the tournament. Who are the 2026 IIHF World Championship favorites?USA enter the 2026 IIHF World Championship as the holders, the reigning Olympic champions and world No.1 team in the world rankings. Switzerland, Canada, Sweden and Czechia round out the top five. Where is the 2026 IIHF World Championship taking place?IIHF World Championship 2026 is being held in Switzerland, at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich and the BCF Arena in Fribourg. More from Tom's Guide How to watch NHL 25/26 live streamsChampions League Streaming Guide 2025/26How to watch NBA Playoffs 2026 for free We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.