World Cham­pi­onship prepa­ra­tion 2024: now it is time to face the top 3

The last meeting with record world champions Canada dates back to 7 May 2019. Almost exactly five years later, they will meet again in Vienna on 5 May 2024. Nine days later, on 14 May, they will face each other again at the World Championship in Prague.

In 2019, they produced a true goal fest, with the Maple Leafs ultimately prevailing 7:5. Before facing the 2023 gold medallists, they will take on world runners-up Germany on 25 and 27 April. The home game on 27 April will be played in Zell am See. For the men's national team, this marks a return to the KE KELIT Arena, built in 1967 and recently extensively renovated and expanded, for the first time since 1996.

Opening against Latvia

The images from after the 2023 World Championship remain unforgettable, when the Latvian team was welcomed and celebrated by thousands of fans in the capital Riga after claiming bronze – the first medal in its history – with a 4:3 win over the USA. The following day, 29 May 2023, was immediately declared a national holiday.

The first team camp of the World Championship preparation will be held in Riga, where the team will play two games against Latvia. Team camp 2 will take place in Villach, with away and home games against Slovenia on 11 and 12 April respectively.

In week 3, Czechia are another now traditional opponent in the lead-up to the World Championship. Once again, the team will first play away on 18 April before playing in front of a home crowd in Linz on 20 April. This will be followed by the aforementioned games against Germany and the final World Championship warm-up against Canada in Vienna on 5 May.

Roger Bader, Head Coach: “This year, too, we have A-class World Championship preparation in terms of both quality and quantity. Our aim is always to play as often as possible against the strongest possible opponents. With Latvia, Slovenia, Czechia, Germany and Canada, we have succeeded in doing so once again.”

Klaus Hartmann, ÖEHV President: “Based on our performances in recent years, we have established ourselves as a valuable sporting warm-up opponent, including for top ice hockey nations. This also confirms the overall highly professional and appreciative cooperation with the IIHF and the other national associations. In addition, by hosting four high-calibre warm-up games and marketing them accordingly as top sporting events, we also have the opportunity to generate appropriate revenue.”

Deutschland Cup opens the 2023/2024 national team season

Last year, Austria was invited to the Deutschland Cup for the first time and immediately finished 2nd at its debut in the traditional tournament. From 8 to 12 November, Landshut will host the 34th edition, at which the German women's team will also play a four-nation tournament alongside the men's competition for the first time.

The Deutschland Cup was held for the first time in 1987. The venue then was Stuttgart. Over its now 36-year history, leading nations such as Canada, Russia, the USA, Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Finland, Latvia, Italy, Poland, Denmark and Japan have accepted the invitation of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund. A DEL All Star Team in 1993 and Top Team Peking in 2020 have also taken to the ice.

The tournament was still held in Krefeld in 2022, while Landshut will host the traditional tournament in 2023, with hosts Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Denmark competing as they did last year. For the first time at the 34th edition, the women's and men's national teams will play their tournaments simultaneously in one arena. Germany, Denmark, Finland and Czechia will face one another in the women's competition.

Austria will open the men's tournament on Thursday, 9 November at 12:30 with the game against Slovakia, which is taking part in the Deutschland Cup for the 24th time. On Saturday, 11 November, the traditional clash with Germany will take place at 18:00, while the final game against Denmark starts as early as 11:00 on Sunday.

The games against Slovakia and Germany will be broadcast LIVE on ORF SPORT +, while the game against Denmark will be streamed on LIVE.eishockey.at.

Head Coach Roger Bader: “Germany, Slovakia and Denmark are ranked fifth, ninth and eleventh in the world rankings. Once again, these are enormously valuable games for us at the highest level.”

In December, as last year, the team will use the break for warm-up games on home ice. A four-nation tournament is planned in Klagenfurt. Hungary and Poland have confirmed their participation, while discussions are ongoing with Italy. Should a four-nation tournament take place, the format will be semi-finals and final, with games on 14 and 15 December.

From 5 to 11 February, they will once again take part in a four-nation tournament alongside France, Denmark and Norway. The venue is expected to be Épinal in France, two hours’ drive from Basel (SUI).

Men’s National Team Schedule 2023/2024

Deutschland Cup 2023

Austria vs. Slovakia
Thu, 9 November 2023, 12:30

Germany vs. Austria
Sat, 11 November 2023, 18:00

Denmark vs. Austria
Sun, 12 November 2023, 11:00

December break

11–15 December 2024, Klagenfurt
Expected to be a four-nation tournament with Poland, Hungary and Italy
Format: semi-finals and final, with matchdays on 14 and 15 December

February break

5–11 February 2024, expected to be in Épinal/FRA
Four-nation tournament with France, Denmark, Norway and Austria
The schedule has not yet been published

World Championship preparation and schedule
(subject to possible changes)

Team camp 1, 1–5 April 2024, Vienna; from 3 April, Riga/Latvia

Latvia vs. Austria
4 April 2024, Riga (LAT)

Latvia vs. Austria
5 April 2024, Riga (LAT)

Training camp 2, 8. – 12 April 2024, Villach

Slovenia vs. Austria
11 April 2024, in Slovenia

Austria vs. Slovenia
12 April 2024, Villach

Team camp 3, 15–20 April 2024, Linz

Czechia vs. Austria
18 April 2024, in Czechia

Austria vs. Czechia
20 April 2024, Linz

Training camp 4, 23 – 27 April 2024, Zell am See

Germany vs. Austria
25 April 2024, in Germany (expected to be Garmisch)

Austria vs. Germany
27 April 2024, Zell am See

Team Camp 5, 1–5 May 2024, Vienna

Austria vs. Canada
5 May 2024, Vienna

2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship

Austria vs. Denmark
Sat, 11 May 2024, 16:20, Prague

Austria vs. Switzerland
Sun, 12 May 2024, 20:20, Prague

Canada vs. Austria
Tue, 14 May 2024, 20:20, Prague

Finland vs. Austria
Thu, 16 May 2024, 16:20, Prague

Czechia vs. Austria
Fri, 17 May 2024, 20:20, Prague

Norway vs. Austria
Sun, 19 May 2024, 16:20, Prague

Austria vs. Great Britain
Tue, 21 May 2024, 12:20, Prague