The 2026 IIHF Division 1A World Championships are set to drop the puck in Budapest, Hungary with games running from April 12 to April 18. 

Hungary, France, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, and China are set to compete in the tournament with the top two teams advancing to the top division of Worlds.

Ever since they dropped their dual passport players following the 2022 Olympics, China has been on a downward spiral. They narrowly avoided relegation from D1A last season. Grace Zhan should be back in net, which will help, but beyond that, there are an abundance of question marks. China's best players in recent tournaments have been veterans like Minghui Kong, Xin Fang, Mengying Zhang who are in their 30s, and won't carry this program much longer. Will China usher in their youth and hope for the best? They are the favorite to be demoted given the strength of Italy, who was the team that game up.

Having Olympic experience together in February is invaluable for the French. Their program has struggled but still features top players like Estelle Duvin, Clara Rozier, Chloe Aurard-Bushee, Manon le Scodan, and Lore Baudrit up front. Alice Philbert was excellent in net for the French at the Olympics, and could be a difference maker. If there's an exciting young player to watch for this program, it's teenager Clémence Boudin.

Nobody loves to be welcomed back via relegation, and Hungary will hope to say goodbye to the group yet again as they look for promotion. Once a veteran laden team, Hungary is making the transition without past stars like Fanni Gasparics or Taylor Baker around to carry the load. They still have veterans like Lotti Odnoga and Alexandra Huszak, but it's their youth who will be expected to get Hungary back to the top. Players like Emma Kreisz, Reka Hiezl, Regina Metzler, and Zsofia Pazmandi will be expected to step forward. 

Coming off a spectacular 2026 Olympic Games where Italy advanced to the quarterfinals, expectations are sky high. The Italians will field a nearly identical roster to the one that saw so much success in Milan, and as Anna Caumo says, she expects her national team to carry what they learned in Milano to Budapest. “We expect a challenging tournament, there's no doubt about that, but we know who we are and what we want to do," she said.

Back for Italy are their dual passport players including Kristin Della Rovere, Kyla Tutino, Justine Reyes, Gabriella Durante, Laura Fortino, and others, along with nationally born and raised contributors like Nadia Mattivi, who is playing for the PWHL's Montreal Victoire, Penn State's Matilde Fantin, netminder Martina Fedel, and defender Franziska Stocker.

Italy is a team to watch, and could be the team to beat.

The other program to return to Division 1A via relegation, Norway beat Hungary at last year's top division World Championship and will look to bounce back this year. The nation added body checking to their women's programs, a development following Sweden who saw leaps and bounds in their competitiveness by preparing from the grassroots up for more physical teams. Veteran goaltender Ena Nystrom is the cream of the crop in this tournament, and their experienced core of Andrea Dalen, Mathea Fischer, Millie Sirum, and Emma Bergesen are all crucial contributors. Norway has a wave of players heading to the NCAA as well, which should continue to bolster the program. It's promotion or bust for Norway.

Slovakia is a team who might take a significant leap forward, with the only goal left to achieve for the nation to be a move to the top division of the World Championships, and then the continued development like neighbouring Czechia. They have some of the young foundational pieces in place, who will only get better in the next 3-4 years.

Nela Lopusanova will play NCAA hockey at Wisconsin next season, while Ema Totova will play for Ohio State. Tatiana Blichova had a spectacular rookie season in the NCAA with Lindenwood scoring 15 goals and 31 points in 37 games as a first year player. Teammate Michaela Sophia Paulínyová had 21 points in 36 games for Lindenwood, while Lilien Benakova had 11 points in 33 games for St. Lawrence. 

The young group, along with a growing core of players competing in top leagues has Slovakia moving in the right direction, and should make them a team to watch at this event. Veterans like Janka Hlinkova, Lucia Haluškova, and Julia Metejkova should all be back and ready to contribute up front. The biggest question is who starts in net. Slovakia easily beat Norway in pre-tournament action, which was a positive sign, and Slovakia is the highest ranked returning team from last season's D1A tournament.