The IIHF World Championship Division I is an annual sports event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The divisional championship is played in two groups.

History

From 2001 until 2011 the two national teams that lost the relegation round at the IIHF World Championship were relegated to Division I for the following year's World Championships. At the Division I Championship, the winner of each group was promoted to the following year's IIHF World Championship, while the loser of each group was relegated to the Division II. Beginning in 2012, the last place team from each group in the world championship is relegated to Division I A, to be replaced by first and second place in Division I A. Sixth place in I A is relegated (now) to group I B, replaced by its winner, while sixth in I B is relegated to Division II.

The Division I World Championship was formed in 2001 from Pool B and the top four Pool C teams. Beginning in 2012 the two groups became tiered rather than parallel. Group A teams were the nations who either were relegated from the World Championship, or placed 2nd and 3rd in their 2011 groups. Group B was formed from the 4th and 5th placed teams, as well as the teams promoted from Division II. Japan qualified for group A because the IIHF council voted unanimously to allow Japan to maintain their seeded position (3rd) in their respective tournaments for 2012.

Results

YearPromotedRelegated
To Top DivisionTo Division I ATo Division I BTo Division II
2001Poland, SloveniaEstonia, Lithuania
2002Belarus, DenmarkChina South Korea
2003France, KazakhstanCroatia, Lithuania
2004Belarus, SloveniaBelgium, South Korea
2005Italy, NorwayChina, Romania
2006Austria, GermanyCroatia, Israel
2007France, SloveniaChina, Romania
2008Austria, HungaryEstonia, South Korea
2009Italy, KazakhstanAustralia, Romania
2010Austria, SloveniaCroatia, Serbia
2011Italy, KazakhstanEstonia, Spain
2012Slovenia, AustriaSouth KoreaUkraineAustralia
2013Kazakhstan, ItalyUkraineGreat BritainEstonia
2014Slovenia, AustriaPolandSouth KoreaRomania
2015Kazakhstan, HungarySouth KoreaUkraineNetherlands
2016Slovenia, ItalyUkraineJapanRomania
2017Austria, South KoreaGreat BritainUkraineNetherlands
2018Great Britain, ItalyLithuaniaPolandCroatia
2019Kazakhstan, BelarusRomaniaLithuaniaNetherlands
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022Slovenia, HungaryPoland
2023Great Britain, PolandJapanLithuaniaSerbia
2024Hungary, SloveniaUkraineSouth KoreaNetherlands
2025Great Britain, ItalyLithuaniaRomaniaCroatia
2026

Pool B

Champions (1951–2000)

YearNational team
1951Italy
1952Great Britain
1953Italy
1955Italy
1956East Germany
1959Romania
1961Norway
1962Japan
1963Norway
1965Poland
1966West Germany
1967Poland
1969East Germany
1970United States
1971Switzerland
1972Poland
1973East Germany
1974United States
1975East Germany
1976Romania
1977East Germany
1978Poland
1979Netherlands
1981Italy
1982East Germany
1983United States
1985Poland
1986Switzerland
1987Poland
1989Norway
1990Switzerland
1991Italy
1992Austria
1993Great Britain
1994Switzerland
1995Slovakia
1996Latvia
1997Belarus
1998Ukraine
1999Denmark
2000Germany

Summary of participation

60 championships

  • Division I teams (2001–present) are ranked one through twelve, with this chart assessing gold, silver, and bronze to the nations who ranked 17th, 18th, and 19th overall.
TeamTimesFirstLastGoldSilverBronzeTotalBest finish (first/last)Hosted[N2]
Australia31962201200005th (1962)0
Austria3419512017475161st (1992/2017)5
Belgium51951200400113rd (1956)1
Belarus51996201922151st (1997/2002)0
Bulgaria41970199300005th (1992)0
China131979202500006th (1982)1
Croatia122001202500008th (2001/2014)1
Denmark141949200211021st (1999)2
Estonia201998202500113rd (1998)3
France181951200703472nd (1951/2007)4
Great Britain3219522025532101st (1952/2025)2
East Germany1419561990613101st (1956/1982)1
Germany[N1]91965200632271st (1966/2006)1
Hungary281959202414491st (2024)6
Israel120062006000012th (2006)0
Italy31195120255105201st (1951/1991)3
Japan301962202512251st (1962)4
Kazakhstan1419972019623111st (2003/2019)1
Latvia31994199612031st (1996)0
Lithuania202001202510233rd (2006/2022)3
Netherlands411951202411351st (1979)6
Norway2719562005444121st (1963/2005)2
Poland4419612025687211st (1965/1987)6
Romania361959202522261st (1959/1976)4
Serbia320102023000010th (2022)0
Slovenia1519982024731111st (2001/2022)6
Slovakia11995199510011st (1995)1
South Korea152002202501122nd (2017)1
Spain320112025000010th (2011)0
Switzerland2319611997454131st (1971/1990)5
Ukraine161998202510341st (1998)3
United States51970198332051st (1970/1983)1
Yugoslavia211951199201342nd (1974)5

See also

  • Duplacey, James (1998). . Total Sports. pp. . ISBN 0-8362-7114-9.
  • Podnieks, Andrew (2010). IIHF Media Guide & Record Book 2011. Moydart Press.

External links