The 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Locations

The 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, the 50th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship, will be held in Minnesota, United States, with games taking place in Minneapolis and St. Paul. This will be the seventh time the tournament is hosted in the United States. The championship is scheduled to run from December 26, 2025, to January 5, 2026, and will be played at two venues: Grand Casino Arena and 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Grand Casino Arena, formerly known as Xcel Energy Center (2000–2025), is located at 199 Kellogg Boulevard West in St. Paul, Minnesota. Opened on September 29, 2000, the arena hosts ice hockey games and concerts and has been home to the Minnesota Wild of the NHL since its opening. It has also been the home venue of the Minnesota Frost (PWHL) since 2024. The arena has a seating capacity of 17,954 and is situated next to Roy Wilkins Auditorium and Saint Paul RiverCentre. It is easily accessible via Central Station. Numerous world-famous artists, including Elton John, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Pink, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain, and Beyoncé, have performed at the venue.

3M Arena at Mariucci is an indoor arena located on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Formerly known as Mariucci Arena (1993–2017), it is situated at 1901 4th Street SE, near Ridder Arena, Williams Arena, and Huntington Bank Stadium. Opened in 1993, it has been home to the Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s ice hockey team since then and also hosted women’s hockey from 1997 to 2002. The arena has a capacity of approximately 10,000 spectators.