Home
The 2025 World Junior Championships kicked off on Thursday, December 26, and are set to run through Sunday, January 5. This year, the tournament is being held in Ottawa, giving Canada the advantage of home ice as they aim to rebound from a disappointing fifth-place finish in the previous tournament. Last year, the U.S. emerged victorious, securing the gold medal after defeating Sweden in the final.
Tournament Overview and Contenders
The 2025 World Junior Championships feature ten teams competing for glory, including the U.S. who are fresh off their championship win. Sweden, which brought home the silver last year, returns with a strong squad, featuring nine players from the 2024 team. Slovakia is another team to watch, hoping to capture its first medal since 2015.
Canada, as the host country, is looking to bounce back from last year's performance, where they failed to medal despite entering as two-time defending champions. The tournament runs through the gold medal game on Sunday, January 5, with a series of exciting matchups and plenty of drama to come.
2025 World Juniors Schedule and Scores
The tournament opened with thrilling games, including:
- Thursday, Dec. 26:
- Sweden 5, Slovakia 2
- USA 10, Germany 4
- Czechia 5, Switzerland 1
- Canada 4, Finland 0
- Friday, Dec. 27:
- Slovakia 2, Switzerland 1
- Finland 3, Germany 1
- Sweden 8, Kazakhstan 1
- Latvia 3, Canada 2 (SO)
- Saturday, Dec. 28:
- Czechia 14, Kazakhstan 2
- USA 5, Latvia 1
- Sunday, Dec. 29:
- Sweden 7, Switzerland 5
- Finland 4, USA 3 (OT)
- Czechia 4, Slovakia 2
- Canada 3, Germany 0
- Monday, Dec. 30:
- Slovakia 5, Kazakhstan 4 (OT)
- Latvia 4, Germany 3 (OT)
- Tuesday, Dec. 31:
- Switzerland 3, Kazakhstan 1
- Finland 3, Latvia 0
- Sweden 4, Czechia 2
- USA 4, Canada 1
Key Matchups and TV Coverage
On Thursday, January 2, the quarterfinals featured several exciting games, including Sweden defeating Latvia 3-2, and matchups between the U.S. and Switzerland, Finland and Slovakia, and Czechia and Canada. Fans in the U.S. can watch the games on NHL Network, while viewers in Canada can tune into TSN channels.
The schedule for the next rounds includes:
- Thursday, Jan. 2:
- Quarterfinal: USA vs. Switzerland (2:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN3/4/5)
- Quarterfinal: Finland vs. Slovakia (5:00 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1)
- Quarterfinal: Czechia vs. Canada (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1/4)
- Saturday, Jan. 4:
- Semifinal 1: TBD vs. TBD (3:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1/4/5)
- Semifinal 2: TBD vs. TBD (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1/4/5)
- Sunday, Jan. 5:
- Bronze Medal Game: TBD vs. TBD (3:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1/4)
- Gold Medal Game: TBD vs. TBD (7:30 p.m. ET, NHL Network, TSN1/4/5)
How to Watch the 2025 World Juniors
Fans in the U.S. can watch all the 2025 World Junior Championship action live on NHL Network, with coverage led by play-by-play announcer E.J. Hradek and analysts Tony Granato and Mike Kelly. Fans can also stream the tournament live via Fubo, which offers a free trial. For those in Canada, select games are available on TSN and can also be streamed via TSN+.
World Juniors 2025 Dates
The 2025 World Junior Championships began on December 26 and will run through January 5, culminating in the gold medal game. The tournament follows a round-robin format in the preliminary round, with teams split into two groups. The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, with the tournament then transitioning into a single-elimination format.
