The Ukrainian national hockey team starts in a new tournament: who are the opponents in the European Nations Cup.

According to inkorr.com: The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has introduced a new hockey tournament - the European Nations Cup, in which the men's national team of Ukraine will participate. This was reported by 'Hlavkom', citing 'Suspilne Sport'.

According to preliminary plans, the 2025 World Championship will be the last official tournament for the Ukrainian team. Instead, the team will participate in the European Nations Cup instead of friendly matches, which will start in November 2025.

Structure of the European Nations Cup

Initially, the IIHF planned for 12 teams to compete in the new tournament. However, the first edition of the cup will unite 18 teams, which will be divided into groups according to rankings. The competition will take place in four stages: in November, December, February, and April. This schedule helps avoid conflicts with club matches, as clubs will not hold their games on these dates.

Format of the Matches

Each stage of the tournament will have a different number of teams in groups. In particular, in November, Ukraine will play against Romania and Lithuania, and in December, Spain will join them. In February 2026, the Ukrainian team will meet Slovenia, Great Britain, and Poland.

Thus, the European Nations Cup in hockey will start in November 2025, representing a new format of tournaments and an opportunity for the Ukrainian national team to compete after the World Championship.

This new tournament opens additional prospects for Ukrainian hockey players to participate in international competitions, somewhat compensating for the lack of friendly matches. Participation in the European Nations Cup can be an important step for the team towards improving their game level and gaining experience in a competitive environment.