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Switzerland catches the hockey bug
It’s almost time: from 15 to 31 May 2026, Switzerland will play host to the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Once again, a stamp is being released to mark this sporting event.
Thrills on the ice
Next May, the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship will kick off in Switzerland. The crunching of the blades, passes every second, pucks travelling at 170 kilometres per hour: ice hockey is fast, precise and tough. This is a sport that combines tactics, technique and team spirit like no other little wonder it‘s one of Switzerland’s most popular winter sports. For decades, ice hockey has thrilled generations of fans, whether at large arenas, in small village halls or on frozen lakes. Switzerland is also one of the oldest ice hockey nations in the world: it was a founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1908. Switzerland has played host to the IIHF World Championship several times, helping to make ice hockey popular in the country.
The first Swiss tournament was held in St Moritz in 1928, fol- lowed by the 1935 edition in Basel and Davos, where audiences had to warm their hands on mugs of tea during temperatures of −15 degrees Celsius. Further tournaments were held in Basel and Zurich in 1953 and Geneva and Lausanne in 1961. The Championship returned to Basel and Zurich in 1998.
History made on the ice
Switzerland’s national men’s team enjoys enormous attention. One reason for the sport’s popularity is the success of the Swiss ice hockey team, which has proven time and again in recent years that it can hold its own against the best in the world. Silver medals at ice hockey world championships, spectacular victories against top teams and a new generation of talented players have given the sport a boost in Switzerland. In 2025, the men’s team won silver for the fourth time in 12 years.
