After a thrilling preliminary round, the IIHF World Championship will shift to the playoffs, with quarterfinal action beginning on Thursday, May 22.
Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby steered Team Canada to the top of Group A, earning the Canadians a date with Denmark in the quarterfinals. The Americans, meanwhile, finished second in Group B and will tangle with Finland for a berth in the semifinals.
Elsewhere, Czechia, which won last year’s event, will look to keep its title hopes alive against Sweden. The final quarterfinal game will feature Switzerland, which finished atop Group B, battling Austria.
Here is everything that you need to know about watching the 2025 IIHF World Championship playoffs, including TV and streaming information for every game.
IIHF World Championship playoffs schedule, scores 2025
Thursday, May 22: Quarterfinals
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| USA vs. Finland | 10:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1 |
| Switzerland vs. Austria | 10:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN4 |
| Canada vs. Denmark | 2:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1 |
| Sweden vs. Czechia | 2:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN4 |
Saturday, May 24: Semifinals
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | 8:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1/4 |
| Semifinal 2 | 12:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1/4 |
Sunday, May 25: Medal games
| Game | Time (ET) | TV/Live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze medal game | 9:20 a.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1 |
| Gold medal game | 2:20 p.m. | NHL Network, Fubo, TSN1/3/4 |
IIHF World Championship playoff bracket 2025
The top four teams from Group A and Group B have advanced to the quarterfinals, which will be played in a crossover format. The first-place team in Group A plays the fourth-place team in Group B, and so on.
From there, the bracket follows a single-elimination format.
Quarterfinals
- A1 Canada vs. B4 Denmark
- A2 Sweden vs. B3 Czechia
- B1 Switzerland vs. A4 Austria
- B2 USA vs. A3 Finland
Semifinals
- Highest-ranked team vs. Lowest-ranked team
- Second-best team vs. Third-best team
Medal games
- Bronze medal game
- Gold medal game
And here’s a look at the group standings following the conclusion of the preliminary round:
Group A (Stockholm)
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Sweden* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| Finland* | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Austria* | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Latvia | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
| Slovakia | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Slovenia | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| France | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
*Advanced to quarterfinals
Group B (Herning)
| Team | Games | Wins | OT Wins | OT Losses | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland* | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| United States* | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Czechia* | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| Denmark* | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| Germany | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Norway | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Hungary | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Kazakhstan | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
*Advanced to quarterfinals
How to watch 2025 IIHF World Championship playoffs: TV channels, live streams
- TV channels: NHL Network (U.S.) | TSN (Canada)
- Live streams: Fubo (U.S.) | TSN+ (Canada) | TSN.ca (Canada) | TSN app (Canada)
Viewers in the U.S. can watch every game of the IIHF World Championship playoffs live on NHL Network. Fans in the U.S. looking to stream the action can do so live on Fubo.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200-plus top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
Canadian fans can watch the playoffs live on TSN, which continues to cover every game of the tournament. Streaming options include TSN+, TSN.ca and the TSN app.
When are the 2025 IIHF World Championship playoffs?
- Dates: Thursday, May 22-Sunday, May 25
The playoffs will begin with four quarterfinal matchups on Thursday, May 22. The semifinals will take place on Saturday, May 24, and the medal games will be held on Sunday, May 25.
Where is the 2025 IIHF World Championship?
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden | Herning, Denmark
- Arena: Avicii Arena | Jyske Bank Boxen
Two quarterfinal games will be played at Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, Denmark. The other two quarterfinal matchups, as well as the rest of the playoffs, will take place at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
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