Latvia together with Finland are only candidates to host 2030 World Ice Hockey Championship

RIGA - Latvia together with Finland are the only candidates to host the 2030 World Ice Hockey Championship in the elite division, Viesturs Koziols, Member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Council, told LETA.

This year's men's world championship will be held in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, in the second half of May, next year's in Dusseldorf and Mannheim, Germany, the 2028 championships in the top division will be held in Paris and Lyon, France, and the 2029 championships will be held in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia.

"We [Latvia and Finland] are the only candidates for the 2030 championships and no other countries are being considered," Koziols told LETA. "Economically, it is not easy to organize a championship in one country. We have excellent relations with Finland. We have a great relationship with the Finnish Hockey Federation, [we have] the same values, the same prospects for the development of hockey."

Koziols pointed out that hockey in Finland is at a higher level than in Latvia because the Finns have more money, but the two countries have many things in common.

"Why do they choose to host the championship with us? Because it is much more risky to have two groups in one country," Koziols explained. "It is advantageous for both us and the Finns to organize the championship in two countries. It is getting harder and harder every year to host the world championships. The demands are growing."

Latvia has so far hosted the 2006 and 2021 world championships in the top division, as well as the 2023 world championships together with Finland, when the Latvian team won its first medal - bronze.