Why is the World Juniors being played in August? Details on the postponed tournament’s new dates
When you think of World Juniors, you usually think of the holiday season, where you can watch the best teenagers in the hockey world sipping hot cocoa.
Well, since World Juniors 2022 is taking place in the summer, swap that mug of hot chocolate for something way cooler.
The tournament was originally scheduled to be played during its typical late December/early January window. However, the games were canceled shortly after they started, leading to the new dates.
The format remains the same as if it were held in winter, with 10 teams competing for a chance to win a medal. The teams are also the same as in the original tournament, apart from Russia, which has since been banned from IIHF competition and is being replaced by Latvia.
So forget all about December: World Juniors have a fresh start here in August, with the action starting Tuesday 9th August.
MORE: Why won’t Russia take part in World Juniors 2022?
Here’s more information on why World Juniors is happening in August.
Why is World Juniors held in August?
The IIHF knew that COVID-19 could be an issue during the December 2022 tournament scheduled for World Juniors, but clearly under-prepared.
Just three days into the tournament, the IIHF was forced to cancel the remainder of the tournament as multiple teams presented positive COVID tests. The first two days of competition went smoothly, but a positive test forced Team USA to postpone their Day 3 game against Sweden.
On Day 4, both Czech Republic and Russia had positive player tests, resulting in losses. The IIHF discussed the possibility of changing COVID protocols on the fly, but ultimately decided to cancel the remainder of the tournament. A total of only five games were played.
“Together with the teams, we went to this event with full confidence in the COVID-19 protocols of the IIHF, the LOC, Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services and the Public Health Agency of Canada,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif in an explanation. “The continued spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant forced us to readjust our protocols almost immediately upon arrival to try to stay one step ahead of any potential spread. This included daily testing and requiring the team to quarantine if positive cases were confirmed.
“We owed it to the participating teams to do our best to create the conditions necessary for this event to work. Unfortunately this was not enough. We need to take some time now and focus on getting all the players and team members home safely. “
In the days following the cancellation, Tardif expressed interest in moving the tournament to the summer. In March, the organization announced that the tournament would be held again with a fresh start in August 2022.
When is the World Juniors usually held?
The World Juniors have become synonymous with the holiday season. The annual tournament usually started on either Christmas Day or December 26th.
The original start date of the 2022 tournament was December 26th and was scheduled to run until January 5th.
When is World Juniors 2022?
- Start date: Tuesday, August 9th
- Deadline: Saturday August 20th
After the tournament was canceled in December 2021, the IIHF is trying again for the 2022 edition in August. It starts on August 9th and lasts 12 days until August 20th.
The group stage begins on August 9th and takes place over the first seven days of the competition. The quarterfinals will all take place on August 17th, the semifinals on August 19th and the tournament will end with the bronze and gold games on August 20th.
How to watch World Juniors hockey games on TV and live stream
- TV stations (Canada): TSN
- Live Stream (Canada): TSN.ca, TSN app
- TV stations (USA): NHL Network
- Live Stream (USA): fuboTV
TSN and the NHL Network will once again host all the action at World Juniors 2022.
American audiences can watch the games live on TV on the NHL Network or stream them via fuboTV.
Canadian viewers can watch the competition on TSN or stream the games through TSN.ca or on the TSN app.
Where are the World Juniors 2022?
- Location: Edmonton, Alberta
- Venue: Roger’s Place
The 2022 World Junior Championships will be held in Edmonton, Alberta. All games will be played at Rogers Place, home of the Oilers. It’s the first time since 1988 that there aren’t multiple venues.
Last December, when the 2022 tournament originally started, it was set for both Edmonton and Red Deer. Games were split between Rogers Place and the Peavey Mart Centrum in Red Deer, home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels.
Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 tournament was scheduled to take place in Gothenburg, Sweden. However, due to restrictions introduced with COVID-19, it was changed to Edmonton in September 2020. Instead, Gothenburg was reassigned for the 2024 tournament.
This year Edmonton will host World Juniors games for the fourth time, having previously hosted 1995, 2012 and 2021.
World Juniors 2022 schedule
Tuesday, August 9th
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic vs. Slovakia | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Latvia vs. Finland | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| USA vs Germany | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Wednesday 10 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden vs Switzerland | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Latvia vs Canada | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| Germany vs Austria | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Thursday 11 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Finland vs Czech Republic | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Slovakia vs. Canada | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| Switzerland vs USA | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Friday 12 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Austria vs Sweden | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Slovakia vs. Latvia | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
Saturday August 13th
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Austria vs USA | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Canada vs Czech Republic | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| Germany vs Switzerland | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Sunday 14 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Finland vs. Slovakia | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Czech Republic vs Latvia | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| USA vs Sweden | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Monday 15 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland versus Austria | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Canada vs Finland | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| Sweden vs Germany | 22 O `clock | TSN/NHL Network |
Wednesday 17 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterfinals | 12 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Quarterfinals | 3:30 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
| Quarterfinals | 19 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| Quarterfinals | 10:30 a.m | TSN/NHL Network |
Friday 19 August
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| semifinals | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| semifinals | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |
Saturday August 20th
| Match | time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze medal game | 14 o’clock | TSN/NHL Network |
| gold medal game | 6 p.m | TSN/NHL Network |