Austria back in the top 16 and returning to Tampere
One thing is official, the other is not yet: Austria are back in the top 16 and are expected to play in Tampere again in 2023.
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Image information: Austria's successful World Championship team - Copyright: Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images
Following their Olympic gold medal, Finland had already risen to 1st place in the world rankings. They emphatically confirmed that position with their fourth World Championship title overall. The order of Canada, Russia, the USA and Sweden behind them also remains unchanged. Our red-white-red Cracks made the biggest leap, moving up two places from 17th to 15th.
Alongside publishing the current world rankings, the IIHF also announced a provisional group allocation for the 2023 World Championship, which will be jointly hosted by Finland and Latvia, with venues in Tampere and Riga, from 12 to 28 May 2023. Should there be no changes between the two groups, Austria will play in Tampere again and face Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, France and Hungary.
Head Coach Roger Bader: "Finishing eleventh was a great success for us and enabled us to improve to 15th place. I am naturally very pleased and proud. We deserved this. Now it is about taking the next step and remaining humble. We are still a nation playing to stay in the top division. For next year's World Championship, I hope there are no changes between the groups. I expect a final decision within the next two weeks."
12 to 28 May 2023
Hosts: Finland (Tampere) & Latvia (Riga)
Defending champions: Finland
Group A: Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, France, Austria, Hungary
Group B: Canada, USA, Switzerland, Slovakia, Latvia, Norway, Kazakhstan, Slovenia
