The United States will try to defend its title when the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship begins Thursday in Ottawa.
The United States won the 2024 WJC, defeating Sweden 6-2 in the gold medal game at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden on Jan. 5. It marked the sixth time the U.S. won the championship and second time in four years.
Canada, which finished fifth after two straight championships, will play its first preliminary-round game against Finland on Thursday.
Ten teams will play in the WJC. The United States and Canada will be in Group A for the preliminary round at Canadian Tire Centre, along with Finland, Latvia and Germany. Group B consists of Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan at TD Place.
The U.S. and Canada will play on Dec. 31 at Canadian Tire Centre (7:30 p.m. ET), marking the first time the rivals will face-off on New Year's Eve since the 2017 WJC when the United States won 3-1 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
Russia remains banned from international play because of its invasion of Ukraine.
The top four teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, which will be held Jan. 2. The semifinals and relegation game are Jan. 4 at Canadian Tire Centre, and the championship and third-place games will be Jan. 5 at Canadian Tire Centre.
2025 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Dec. 26
Sweden vs. Slovakia, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET
Germany vs. United States, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET
Switzerland vs. Czechia, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET
Canada vs. Finland, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 27
Slovakia vs. Switzerland, TD Place, 1 p.m. ET
Finland vs. Germany, Canadian Tire Centre, 3:30 p.m. ET
Kazakhstan vs. Sweden, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET
Canada vs. Latvia, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 28
Czechia vs. Kazakhstan, TD Place, 1 p.m. ET
United States vs. Latvia, Canadian Tire Centre, 3:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 29
Sweden vs. Switzerland, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET
Finland vs. United States, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET
Slovakia vs. Czechia, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET
Germany vs. Canada, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 30
Kazakhstan vs. Slovakia, TD Place, 1 p.m. ET
Latvia vs. Germany, Canadian Tire Centre, 3:30 p.m. ET
Dec. 31
Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET
Latvia vs. Finland, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET
Czechia vs. Sweden, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET
United States vs. Canada, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET
Jan. 2
Quarterfinal 1, TD Place, 12 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 2, Canadian Tire Centre, 2:30 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 3, TD Place, 5 p.m. ET
Quarterfinal 4, Canadian Tire Centre, 7:30 p.m. ET
Jan. 4 (Canadian Tire Centre)
Semifinal 1, 3:30 p.m. ET
Semifinal 2, 7:30 p.m. ET
Jan. 5 (Canadian Tire Centre)
Third-place game, 3:30 p.m. ET
Championship game, 7:30 p.m. ET
