The men's ice hockey quarter-final pairings for the 2026 Olympic Games have been formed. The participants were determined based on the results of the qualifying playoff games on Tuesday, February 17.
The playoff grid was formed based on the results of the previous competition week: Canada, the USA, Slovakia, and Finland earned direct tickets to the quarterfinals; the remaining teams had to participate in the qualifying playoff matches.
Eight European teams took part in the four matches of this stage, including 2022 Olympic semi-finalists Sweden, current world vice-champions Switzerland, and the hosts Italy.
How the qualifying playoff went
- In the first matches of the day, Germany and Switzerland won, confidently defeating France and Italy respectively. The Swiss qualified for the top 8 of the Olympics for the second time in a row, while Germany returned to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018.
- The closest match was between the Czech Republic and Denmark, which ended with a difference of one goal – 3:2. Throughout the entire third period, the Czechs played with a minimal advantage and held on to win, leaving the Danes out of the quarterfinals for the first time.
- Two-time champions Sweden celebrated another convincing victory, scoring five goals against Latvia and extending their run to the quarterfinals. At the Olympic level, the Swedes have never finished lower than fifth place.
Hockey. Olympics-2026. Qualifying playoff
- Germany — France — 5:1 (3:0, 0:1, 2:0)
- Switzerland — Italy — 3:0 (2:0, 0:0, 1:0)
- Czech Republic — Denmark — 3:2 (0:0, 3:2, 0:0)
- Sweden — Latvia — 5:1 (2:0, 1:1, 2:0)
Quarter-final schedule
- Wednesday, February 18. 1:10 p.m. Slovakia – Germany
- Wednesday, February 18. 5:40 p.m. Canada — Czech Republic
- Wednesday, February 18. 19:10. Finland – Switzerland
- Wednesday, February 18. 10:10 PM. USA – Sweden