The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship is headed back to Ottawa. Hockey Canada announced that next year’s event will return to the nation’s capital in a press release Thursday afternoon.
The annual event will take place between December 26th, 2024 and January 5th, 2025 at the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place. The CTC is expected to play host to both the semifinals and bronze & gold medal games. 14 round robin games will take place at TD Place, home of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s.
“The IIHF is thrilled to return to Canada for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship,” said Luc Tardif, president of the IIHF. “Ottawa is undoubtedly a city that rallies behind hockey, as we can remember from the exceptional atmosphere during the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship. The World Juniors has a unique place in the calendar as it takes place during the holiday season and is an eagerly awaited event.”
“We look forward to seeing fans from the four corners of Canada and all around the world in Ottawa in December 2024.”
The World Juniors were last in Ottawa back in 2009. A tournament which had one of the most iconic endings in recent junior hockey history. Canada’s Jordan Eberle played the role of Canadian hero scoring both the game tyring and game winning goals for Canada as the country captured its 5th consecutive gold medal at the tournament.
“We are thrilled that the IIHF World Junior Championship will return to Canada and our nation’s capital in 2025,” said Pat McLaughlin, COO of Hockey Canada. “The bid that was submitted to host the World Juniors in Ottawa was exceptional, and we cannot wait for fans throughout Canada and the world to experience the celebration of hockey for themselves.”
“Hosting the World Juniors is a privilege, and we are grateful to the IIHF for its trust in allowing us to deliver the event on its behalf for the 19th time in Canada, and to the CHL for its continued support of the tournament each year.”
2022 Olympic gold medallist, and Ottawa native Jamie Lee Rattray will serve as honorary chair of the Ottawa host committee for the event. Tickets for the event will become available in the coming months, as Hockey Canada plans to host a priority ticket draw for tournament packages later this year.
The 2024 IIHF World Juniors are set to take place in Gothenburg, Sweden this December.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner