2027 World Juniors Schedule: Canada Opens vs Switzerland

Canada’s World Juniors opener is locked in.

The IIHF released the schedule for the 2027 World Junior Championship on Tuesday, and the hosts draw Switzerland on Boxing Day at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

Take a look at the announcement:

This one runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, split between Edmonton and Red Deer.

Every Canadian game goes at Rogers Place, in a group with Czechia, Latvia, Norway and Switzerland. After the opener come Latvia on Dec. 28, Norway on Dec. 29 and Czechia on New Year’s Eve, each at 7 p.m. ET.

Red Deer’s Marchant Crane Centrium, home of the WHL’s Rebels, takes the other five teams. Defending champion Sweden lands there alongside Finland, Germany, Slovakia and the United States.

Sweden and Finland get the whole thing started at 4:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 26. The Americans close the round robin against the Swedes on New Year’s Eve.

Hockey Canada posted the complete slate in both official languages:

Edmonton keeps the medal round. Quarterfinals go Jan. 2, semifinals Jan. 4, and the bronze and gold medal games both land on Jan. 5.

• Dec. 26: Canada vs. Switzerland, 7 p.m. ET, Rogers Place
• Dec. 28: Canada vs. Latvia, 7 p.m. ET
• Dec. 29: Norway vs. Canada, 7 p.m. ET
• Dec. 31: Czechia vs. Canada, 7 p.m. ET
• Jan. 5: Gold medal game, 9:30 p.m. ET

Gold has been scarce for the hosts lately. Canada hasn’t won it since 2023, with back-to-back quarterfinal exits and then a bronze in Minnesota last January.

A repeat would be new ground for Sweden. The Swedes ended a 14-year wait for gold last winter and have never gone back-to-back.

Team Canada’s uniform changed this month too. Hockey Canada and Bauer unveiled a redesigned national team jersey, putting the skater crest back on the front for the first time in four years.

Rogers Place last hosted this tournament in 2022. It gets it back on Boxing Day.