IIHF 2027 Division II A in Al Ain: what we know

Short answer

• The UAE won the right to host the 2027 IIHF World Championship Division II Group A, beating Croatia 14 votes to 11.
• It will be in Al Ain. Ice Hockey Australia lists the dates as 19 to 25 April 2027.
• Six teams play a single round robin; the winner goes up to Division I Group B.
• The 2026 edition, also set for Al Ain, was postponed and then cancelled by the IIHF in spring 2026.
• The venue, team list and ticket details had not been published when we checked on 23 October 2026.

In this guide (9 sections)

1. What has been confirmed about the 2027 tournament?
2. What is Division II Group A?
3. How has the UAE done at this level?
4. What would promotion mean?
5. Why was the 2026 tournament in Al Ain cancelled?
6. Which teams will play in Al Ain in 2027?
7. Where in Al Ain could it be played?
8. How to follow the build-up
9. What to check before you act

The UAE will host the 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A in Al Ain. It won the vote at the IIHF Annual Congress in Zurich by 14 votes to Croatia's 11, as reported on 1 June 2026. Ice Hockey Australia lists the dates as 19 to 25 April 2027. The venue, the full team list and ticketing had not been announced when we checked on 23 October 2026.

dubaihockey.com is an independent information site. We are not affiliated with the IIHF, the UAE Winter Sports Federation or any team, and we do not sell tickets.

What has been confirmed about the 2027 tournament?

The Khaleej Times report names the UAE delegation as led by Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, with Secretary General Jumaa Al Dhaheri and Technical Director Mohamad Aref Aljachi. The federation was previously known as the UAE Ice Sports Federation, and some pages still use the older name.

What is Division II Group A?

The men's World Championship is split into tiers. The top division is the event most fans know. Below it sit Division I (Groups A and B), Division II (Groups A and B), Division III and lower.

Division II Group A is the fourth tier. Teams that win it move up to Division I Group B. The UAE climbed into this group by winning Division II Group B in 2023 in Istanbul, according to Wikipedia. It then finished third in Division II Group A in both 2024 and 2025, both in Belgrade.

On 3 June 2026 the IIHF world ranking put the UAE men 38th, up one place, per Wikipedia. Wikipedia lists David Rich as head coach.

How has the UAE done at this level?

Recent men's World Championship results, from Wikipedia's UAE men's team page:

Two third places in a row show the UAE has held its own in this group. Winning it, which is what promotion requires, is a step it has not yet taken. Wikipedia also notes that the UAE withdrew from the 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin.

The 2027 event is for the men's team only. The UAE women's team, coached by Siarhei Bialou according to Wikipedia, is based at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Wikipedia lists no IIHF event for the women's team in 2026-27.

What would promotion mean?

Aletihad says the 2027 winner moves up to Division I Group B for the 2028 cycle, and the last-placed team drops to Division II Group B. For the UAE, winning on home ice would lift it into the third tier of the men's World Championship. Finishing last would send it back to the group it left in 2023.

Why was the 2026 tournament in Al Ain cancelled?

Al Ain was already due to host this same group in 2026, from 20 to 26 April. The planned line-up was Croatia, Serbia, the UAE, Belgium, Australia and Georgia, per Wikipedia.

The timeline, from the sources we read:

Because the group was not played, there was no promotion out of it and no relegation into it. Wikipedia notes that this also meant no team was relegated from Division I Group B and no team was promoted from Division II Group B for 2027. Division II Group B did go ahead in Sofia in April 2026, and Israel won it.

So the 2027 award gives Al Ain a second attempt at hosting the event it lost in 2026.

Which teams will play in Al Ain in 2027?

We have not seen an official 2027 team list from the IIHF. Here is what is known:

• UAE: host.
• Australia: Ice Hockey Australia's 30 May 2026 announcement lists its men's team in Division II Group A, Al Ain, 19 to 25 April 2027.
• Croatia: bid against the UAE for hosting, which suggests it is in the same group, but no team list confirms it.

With no promotion or relegation from the 2026 group, it is reasonable to expect a similar line-up to the 2026 one. That is our inference, not an announcement. Wait for the IIHF to publish the groups before you plan travel around a specific match-up.

Where in Al Ain could it be played?

No venue has been named. Al Ain has at least two rinks we know of:

• Hili Fun City ice rink: Khaleej Times reported in 2013 (updated 2015) that it had been refurbished, had 1,400 seats and was ready for international ice hockey. That article is more than ten years old.
• Al Ain Mall Ice Rink: listed by Kidzapp with phone 03 766 0333; no hockey information on that page.

Do not assume either one until the organisers confirm. Our UAE ice rinks list tracks the status of each rink with dates.

How to follow the build-up

There is no official fan page for the event that we could find yet. Until there is:

• Follow the UAE Winter Sports Federation and the IIHF for the venue, schedule and tickets.
• The Emirates Hockey League 2026-27 season is where most of the UAE's home-based players compete week to week, though we have not seen a 2027 squad list. Elite Prospects showed six teams three games into the season on 23 October 2026.
• For the wider picture of where hockey is played in the UAE, see ice hockey in Dubai: rinks and clubs.

We will update this page when the IIHF confirms the venue, schedule and teams.

What to check before you act

• Confirm the dates on the IIHF site before booking travel; 19 to 25 April 2027 comes from Ice Hockey Australia.
• Wait for the venue to be named before booking a hotel near a particular rink.
• Check the official team list before planning around a specific match.
• Ticket prices and sales channels are not yet published; avoid unofficial sellers.
• If the regional situation changes, check for IIHF notices, as happened in 2026.

Questions people ask

General information only. Fees, venues and schedules change; confirm with the rink, club or league before you pay or travel. Spotted something out of date? Send us a source.

Sources

1. UAE to host 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A (Khaleej Times/WAM, 1 Jun 2026)checked 23 October 2026
2. Al Ain to host part of 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship (Aletihad, 1 Jun 2026)checked 23 October 2026
3. IIHF announcement for 2027 World Championship tournaments (Ice Hockey Australia, 30 May 2026)checked 23 October 2026
4. 2026 IIHF World Championship Division II (Wikipedia)checked 23 October 2026
5. 2026 Division II Group A postponed (Ice Hockey News Australia, 21 Mar 2026)checked 23 October 2026
6. 2026 Division II Group A cancelled (Ice Hockey News Australia, 8 Apr 2026)checked 23 October 2026
7. United Arab Emirates men's national ice hockey team (Wikipedia)checked 23 October 2026
8. United Arab Emirates women's national ice hockey team (Wikipedia)checked 23 October 2026
9. Hili Fun City's refurbished ice rink now open (Khaleej Times, 2013, updated 2015)checked 23 October 2026
10. Al Ain Mall Ice Rink (Kidzapp)checked 23 October 2026
11. UAE league 2026-2027 standings (Elite Prospects)checked 23 October 2026