WC: 2023 IIHF championships Finland and Latvia Divisions announced

[Jumptheshark]

IIHF - Tampere/Riga candidate for 2023

Finland and Latvia bid to co-host next Worlds; Hungary/Slovenia application withdrawn

www.iihf.com

[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD]Group A (Tampere)

• 
  Finland (1)
• 
  Sweden (4)
• 
  Czechia (5)
• 
  Germany (8)
• 
  Denmark (9)
• 
  France (12)
• 
  Austria (13)
• 
  Hungary (19)

[/TD]

[TD]Group B (Riga)

• 
  Canada (2)
• 
  United States (3)
• 
  Switzerland (6)
• 
  Slovakia (7)
• 
  Latvia (10)
• 
  Norway (11)
• 
  Kazakhstan (14)
• 
  Slovenia (18)

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Russia and Belarus are still tossed out

They may flip either Canada/US for Sweden--as sometimes they like having Sweden and FInland in different divsion and the same with Canada/US

Click to read more...

 

[Lartsaman]

Cool. Maybe I get the tickets next year.

 

[GX]

As a Latvian, that would be very cool to see. It was quite painful after 15 years to finally await WC 2021 returning to Riga, yet have no chance of getting to see the games live. Moreover, there was no upside of organising the event, just costs. I feel that we deserve this.

 

[JabbaJabba]

I know it might be boring to have the tournament in the same country in back to back years but I don't mind. Finland could use the tourism. Also, it would be cool to share the tournament with Latvia. They did a fine job last year and didn't get to have audience. Next year they would get tourists and it would be nice to have the finals in Latvia.

 

[Fjorden]

IIHF - Tampere/Riga candidate for 2023

Finland and Latvia bid to co-host next Worlds; Hungary/Slovenia application withdrawn

www.iihf.com

Finland for back to back games? Interesting. Latvia I get-they have done their time in the top division. I know some people who usually go between the different cities they may not be happy as flights can be annoying.

2024 is in the Czech republic and 2025 Sweden and Denmark are joint hosts

I don't think other countries than Latvia and Finland can build an organisation to host this tournament in such a short notice. They've both hosted newly, and can reuse the same organisation.

Flights shouldn't be a problem either it is just a 1 hour flight, and they can set up charteret flights if needed.. NHL teams travel way longer than that.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I don't think other countries than Latvia and Finland can build an organisation to host this tournament in such a short notice. They've both hosted newly, and can reuse the same organisation.

Flights shouldn't be a problem either it is just a 1 hour flight, and they can set up charteret flights if needed.. NHL teams travel way longer than that.

I mean fans traveling--I usually go between host cities--but the main airline between the two cities is air baltic--the are great sometimes and other times no so much.

 

[Lepardi]

I mean fans traveling--I usually go between host cities--but the main airline between the two cities is air baltic--the are great sometimes and other times no so much.

The Friday flights to Tampere after the quarter-final Thursday might sell out pretty fast but flying from Riga to Helsinki is a very viable option. It's only about a 100-minute train ride from Helsinki Airport to Tampere. The trains run twice every hour and here in Tampere it's only a 5-minute walk from the railway station to the arena. If you fly to Tampere Airport, you have to take a bus or a taxi into the city. There is no rail connection yet.

If you have a problem with Air Baltic, Finnair also has 3 direct flights a day from Riga to Helsinki.

 

[THE JAM]

Helsinki-Riga and Riga-Helsinki fan carrier/partying cruises would be there for sure.

Tallink at least would arrange that, perhaps even someone else.

 

[QnebO]

Tbh, Latvian fans are crazy and probably theyd deserve it more often, actually Im shocked if they are not the best place to play international hockey. Finland's Lärvinen and other fans will also be vey happy in Latvia

 

[tobu]

Everybody knows Fins love Bratislava as a host...

 

[Lepardi]

Tbh, Latvian fans are crazy and probably theyd deserve it more often, actually Im shocked if they are not the best place to play international hockey. Finland's Lärvinen and other fans will also be vey happy in Latvia

They said on Finnish TV today that Finland will host the final four again and Latvia had no problem with that because they understand Finland is way more likely to make it that far.

So Lärvinen won't be going to Riga next year.

 

[Kuljeskelen]

Tbh, Latvian fans are crazy and probably theyd deserve it more often, actually Im shocked if they are not the best place to play international hockey. Finland's Lärvinen and other fans will also be vey happy in Latvia

Unsure about what they deserve after that.

 

[GX]

Unsure about what they deserve after that.

Uhh, that was an odd game. Referees called 8 minors on LAT in first period alone. After that the first wave of coins came. This video is from the second wave of coins - early in the third, it was the 15th minor called on LAT.

 

[FinPanda]

 

[Eye of Ra]

Nothing against Finland but having it in same place 2 years in row is super boring. Hungary-Slovenia would be nice.

 

[ES]

Nothing against Finland but having it in same place 2 years in row is super boring. Hungary-Slovenia would be nice.

Agree with that.

Even Finland/Sweden double was boring IMO and was made worse by having it twice in same arenas.

Would have been better like this:
2012 Helsinki with Gothenburg or Malmö
2013 Stockholm with Turku

Semi-finals and medal games as they were.

 

[Peiskos]

Looking at the list of hosts, it looks like Canada doesn't even apply to ever host this tournament lol. Just 2008 Halifax-Québec City and that was it.

 

[Jussi]

Finland-Latvia should be confirmed on Friday.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Put it in Åland or Karelia if its gonna be Finland again.

 

[member 305909]

If you watch the tournament on TV at your home what does it matter who hosts it?

 

[Eye of Ra]

If you watch the tournament on TV at your home what does it matter who hosts it?

Nice with a change. Different atmosphere etc. Also Finland should not have home advantage 2 years in row, its not fair. Latvia - Kazaksthan could work.

 

[Urbanskog]

If you watch the tournament on TV at your home what does it matter who hosts it?

Organizing the tournament in a country or a pair of countries that has never hosted it before would expose the sport to a much wider mass of potential fans than staging the competition in Finland on two continuous years.

 

[jj cale]

Finland again?

I might fall asleep next year, hasn't been much sizzle at this thing so far.

 

[AKQJ]

It has been great games both in Helsinki and Tampere where I have been. The price for beer too high, but otherwise no complaints. I would not mind to be there again next year!

 

[SantosHalper]

Latvia - Kazaksthan could work.

No, no it doesn't work.

-------------------------------------------
If Finland - Latvia get's it i bet the semifinal and medal round games are in Riga, since the fans wasn't really allowed to the stands last year. But i do hope Slovenia - Hungary get's the tournament, totally new market and the fans there as passioned. Yugoslavia was the host in 1966 and it was played in Ljubljana.