The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund has successfully applied to host the next IIHF U18 World Championship. The tournament will be held in spring 2022. The DEB received the contract on the sidelines of the IIHF World Championships 2021 in Riga, Latvia, at the congress of the World Ice Hockey Federation IIHF, which is traditionally convened at the highlight of the season, and at which, among other things, this tournament award was decided.
It is currently still unclear where one of the most important young talent tournaments in world ice hockey will take place. The DEB is currently working on a decision on this point in consultation with clubs and potential venues.
It is the third IIHF U18 World Championship to be held in Germany; the tournament previously took place in this country in 1999 (Füssen and Kaufbeuren) and 2011 (Crimmitschau and Dresden). This year the U18 World Cup was held in the top division in the US state of Texas. The U18 team DEB took part in it after being promoted to the top division in 2019. Last year the tournament was canceled after the outbreak of the corona pandemic.
DEB-President Franz Reindl: “We are very pleased that the IIHF has given us the contract to host the U18 World Championships. A great opportunity arose for us at fairly short notice to bring this top young talent event to Germany. After consultation with the BMI and DOSB, this has changed DEB-Presidium then decided to apply. We see this tournament above all as a source of inspiration for our German young talent after the difficult time during the Corona pandemic. It is a big goal for every player in this age group, which is worth working towards with great motivation and for DEB the opportunity to show how high-class and interesting the global level is in this age group.”
DEB-General Secretary Claus Gröbner: “We would like to thank the World Ice Hockey Federation for their trust, it is an honor to have been awarded the contract and we will prepare the IIHF U18 World Championships conscientiously. Hosting this tournament is also a clear signal to us of how important young talent development is to us and that... DEB sees this as an absolute core task for the near future, especially with regard to the effects of the corona pandemic. A U18 World Championship in your own country is at the same time a great incentive for young players and an attraction for all ice hockey players.Fans, which can take a look at the world’s best talents of the year.”