World Championship review: One of Austria’s most successful tournaments in decades
Austria made history by winning their first three games at the 2026 World Championship in Zurich (SUI), producing the country’s best-ever start to the tournament. Although they narrowly missed out on the quarter-finals, the team can look back on an exceptionally successful World Championship.
3 min read
“We got nine points, one less than last year,” emphasized Head coach Roger Bader the good performance of his team and is also full of praise: "After the high-profile failures, one had to fear that we would have to fight hard to avoid relegation. The fact that we were able to cope with this so well in the first few games is not a given. The team deserves huge praise."
The courageous performances once again won the hearts of the fans. Apart from the game against hosts Switzerland, the Austrian national team, supported by the home fans of the UFTA (United Fans of Team Austria), was also pushed from the stands.
"Apart from the Switzerland game, we have always had the fans on our side. They have sympathy for us because of our style of play and our fighting spirit," he also said happily Roger Bader about the support of his Swiss compatriots.
"If someone had told us before the World Championship that the World Championship would end like this, with nine points and the chance to reach the quarter-finals, we would have taken it straight away. Of course you're still disappointed if you don't make it," tried Peter Schneider to look soberly at the end after the defeat against the USA.
The 35-year-old led Austria as captain for the first time at a World Championship and was optimistic about the future: "There were many new players who will be important for the national team in the future. They will definitely play even more confidently at the next World Championship." The next World Championship is in Germany. The venues are Mannheim and Düsseldorf.
The 2026 World Championship will continue from Thursday with the quarter-final decisions. ORF will broadcast two quarter-final games, both semi-finals, the bronze-medal game and the final LIVE:
Quarterfinals: Canada vs. USA
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 4:10 p.m., ORF SPORT+ and ORF On
Quarterfinals: Switzerland vs. Sweden
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 8:15 p.m., ORF SPORT+
Semifinal 1
Sat., May 30, 2026, 3:10 p.m., ORF SPORT+
Semifinal 2
Sat., May 30, 2026, 7:50 p.m., ORF SPORT+
Game for 3rd place
Sun., May 31, 2026, 3:20 p.m., ORF On
final
Sun., May 31, 2026, 8:15 p.m., ORF SPORT+
2026 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
May 15, 2026 - May 31, 2026, Zurich and Fribourg (SUI)
Defending champions: USA
Group A, Zurich: USA, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain
Group B, Fribourg: Canada, Sweden, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Italy
Results
Great Britain vs. Austria 2:5 (2:3, 0:2, 0:0)
Sat., May 16, 2026, 12:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena, 7,974 spectators
Goalscorers Great Britain: David Clements (16th), Liam Kirk (17th)
Goalscorers Austria: Benjamin Nissner (3rd), Peter Schneider (7th, 27th), Paul Huber (10th), Leon Wallner (34th)
Game sheet
Austria vs. Hungary 4:2 (1:1, 0:0, 3:1)
Sun., May 17, 2026, 4:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorers Austria: Vinzenz Rohrer (6th/PP), Dominic Zwerger (47th/PP), Thimo Nickl (48th, 60th)
Goalscorers Hungary: Istvan Sofron (12./PP), Peter Vincze (54./PP)
Game sheet
Latvia vs. Austria 1:3 (0:0, 0:1, 1:2)
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 4:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorer Latvia: Rudolfs Balcers (41.)
Goalscorers Austria: Tim Harnisch (28th), Benjamin Nissner (45th/PP), Vinzenz Rohrer (60th/EN)
Game sheet
Austria vs. Switzerland 0:9 (0:4, 0:3, 0:2)
Wed., May 20, 2026, 4:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorers Switzerland: Theo Rochette (6th, 33rd), Timo Meier (10th), Nico Hischier (12th, 30th/PP), Damien Riat (14th/PP, 51st/PP), Calvin Thurkauf (31st), Christoph Bertschy (57th)
Game sheet
Austria vs. Germany 2:6 (0:0, 1:2, 1:4)
Sat., May 23, 2026, 8:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorers Austria: Leon Wallner (23rd), Vinzenz Rohrer (49th).
Goalscorers Germany: Lukas Reichel (24th, 46th/PP, 52nd/PP), Joshua Samanski (34th), Manuel Wiederer (49th), Alexander Ehl (55th/EN)
Game sheet
Finland vs. Austria 5:2 (1:0, 3:0, 1:2)
Sun., May 24, 2026, 8:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorers Finland: Mikael Granlund (19th/PP), Saku Maenalanen (24th), Jesse Puljujarvi (32nd), Sakari Manninen (33rd), Patrik Puistola (48th)
Goalscorers Austria: Benjamin Nissner (44th), Leon Wallner (59th)
Game sheet
USA vs. Austria 4:1 (2:0, 2:1, 0:0)
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 4:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Goalscorers USA: Connor Clifton (6th), Ryan Ufko (7th), Paul Cotter (22nd), Matthew Tkachuk (32nd/PP)
Goalscorer Austria: Simeon Schwinger (37.)
Game sheet
