According to the Russian Ice Hockey Federation their 2026-27 ban by the IIHF has been “annulled” although the IIHF itself has yet to confirm the decision.
Russia may be one step closer to a return to international competition in ice hockey. The nation has been banned from IIHF sanctioned hockey events including the World Championships, and this year the Olympics, following their invasion and subsequent war against Ukraine that has drawn pushback from the global community as unlawful and unprompted.
According to the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, the IIHF has “annulled” their previous decision to ban Russia from 2026-27 competitions, although the IIHF has yet to confirm the announcement.
“Thanks to their joint efforts, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation (RIHF) and Russian Ministry of Sport have made significant progress towards the return of the Russian national team to the international arena,” the Federation wrote.
According to Russia, the IIHF was unable to back up their reasoning for the ban, those of safety concerns for athletes and spectators.
As the Russian Ice Hockey Federation is reporting, “The International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) Disciplinary Committee, after reviewing the complaint submitted by the RIHF, annulled the IIHF Council's decision of January 21, 2026, to exclude Russian national teams from IIHF competitions in the 2026/2027 season due to safety concerns.”
“The reason for this particular decision is that the IIHF failed to provide sufficient justification for the ban. The safety risk assessment reports submitted by the IIHF are not exhaustive and contain only general provisions.”
The annulment of the decision however, does not guarantee Russia will return to IIHF competition in the upcoming cycle.
“The decision concerning the return of our teams will be made based on IIHF regulations,” the Russian Federation wrote.
Russia stated it’s their goal to return to international competition as soon as possible.
Russia last competed in international competition in the 2021 World Championships and 2022 Olympics.
In men’s hockey, many Russian players have competed in the NHL and the pipeline remained open following the international ban.
In women’s hockey, this season marked the first time a Russian player competed in the PWHL with Fanuza Kadirova, Anna Shokhina, and Vita Poniatovskaia all cracking spots in the league. Ilona Markova was the first Russian drafted to the PWHL and she’s expected to attempt to earn a spot in the league this season.
Similarly a new quartet of Russian players, Maria Batalova, Nina Pirogova, Oxana Bratishcheva, and Darya Gredzen have all declared for the 2026 PWHL Draft and are considered viable prospects.
The Hockey News contacted the IIHF for a statement. When one is received, this story will be updated.