Germany Begins Campaign at Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 with Match Against Finland
Germany opens its Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 campaign on May 15 in Zurich, facing Finland at 16:20; full roster, schedule, venues, and broadcast details inside.
The Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 opens on May 15 in Switzerland, with Germany starting its campaign against Finland in Zurich at 16:20 local time. The German national team, led by captain Moritz Seider, aims to reach the quarterfinals from Group A while defending champions the United States and hosts Switzerland loom as the top contenders. Fans in Germany can watch the game live on ProSieben, with wider coverage across paid and free platforms for the tournament.
Germany opens tournament against Finland in Zurich
Germany’s first match of the tournament is scheduled for May 15 at 16:20 in the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich. Head coach Harold Kreis has selected a 25-player squad that mixes NHL experience with newcomers, signaling the federation’s target of advancing to the knockout stage. The match is being shown live on ProSieben in the German market, marking the start of a compact and demanding group phase for the DEB side.
Group A composition and path to the quarterfinals
Group A in Zurich features the United States, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, and Great Britain. Each team plays a single round-robin against the other seven, with the top four advancing to the quarterfinals. The format makes every group-stage fixture critical; Germany must navigate matches against three traditional heavyweights while managing points against mid-tier opponents such as Latvia and Austria.
Roster makeup and notable selections for Germany
Bundestrainer Harold Kreis named 25 players for the tournament, balancing youth and experience in the lineup. Moritz Seider serves as captain and defensive cornerstone, while Dominik Kahun brings veteran presence and international experience. The delegation includes three goaltenders—Philipp Grubauer, Maximilian Franzreb, and Jonas Stettmer—and a defensive corps featuring Fabio Wagner and Leon Gawanke. Four players—Samuel Dove-McFalls, Phillip Sinn, Jonas Stettmer, and Marcus Weber—are making their first World Championship appearances, reflecting a degree of turnover since the Olympic roster.
Switzerland’s hosting and the tournament venues
Switzerland is hosting the championship across two cities: Zurich’s Swiss Life Arena and Fribourg’s BCF-Arena. The Swiss Life Arena in Zurich can seat up to 12,000 spectators and is home to the ZSC Lions, while the BCF-Arena in Fribourg holds approximately 9,372 fans and serves HC Fribourg-Gottéron. This edition marks the eleventh time Switzerland has staged the World Championship, with the hosts arriving fresh from two recent appearances in the tournament final and seeking to capture a first home title.
Germany’s full preliminary schedule and key fixtures
Germany will play all of its Group A matches in Zurich, starting with Finland on May 15 at 16:20. The remainder of the German preliminary slate is: May 17 against Latvia at 20:20, May 18 versus Switzerland at 20:20, May 20 against the United States at 20:20, May 22 versus Hungary at 16:20, May 23 at 20:20 against Austria, and May 25 closing the group phase with Great Britain at 20:20. The spacing of fixtures leaves little margin for recovery, and Germany’s route to the quarterfinals will likely hinge on results in the games against Latvia and Hungary as well as competitive showings versus the higher-ranked opponents.
Broadcasting rights and streaming options for viewers
All German national team games will be broadcast live on ProSieben, which is also showing one quarterfinal, two semifinals, and the final live. ProSieben Maxx will air seven select preliminary-round “top” games and an additional quarterfinal, offering broader free-to-air access. Paid coverage is available through MagentaSport, which will stream the German matches and selected highlights. For international viewers, the tournament pass on sporteurope.tv grants access to all World Championship games for a fee of 15 euros.
The German team arrives at the Ice Hockey World Championship 2026 with clear objectives and a roster designed to blend leadership with new talent. Facing a group that includes the defending champions and the home nation, Germany must secure points early to avoid relying on late-stage heroics. With national broadcaster ProSieben offering live coverage and multiple streaming options available, supporters can follow the team as it seeks a return to the knockout rounds.
