Canada's Porter Martone, not shown, scores on Denmark goaltender Patrick Tiedjen (35) during second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

By The Canadian Press

Carney says Russian team won’t be allowed at Alberta’s world junior hockey tournament

Nov 3, 2026 | 3:24 PM

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Russia will not be allowed to compete at next month’s world junior hockey championship in Alberta.

Carney, speaking in Antigua at the Commonwealth Summit, said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to represent their countries in Canada as long as the war in Ukraine continues.

“While Russia and Belorussia (sic) are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada,” Carney said when asked if Russian players would be denied visas.

“So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.”

His comments come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Friday that Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition, starting with the world junior tournament.

Fatal encounter

Bear struck, killed while attempting to cross Highway 1 in Chilliwack Tuesday morning

44m ago

Missing man

36-year-old man last seen over a week ago in Langley reported missing: Abbotsford PD

2h ago

One dead, one missing in suspected grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, B.C.

3h ago

Several European hockey federations, including Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia, have said their teams will refuse to face Russia.

“We respect the decisions of the Finns, the Czechs, the Swedes, other nations, but this is a decision we take on our own,” Carney said.

Hockey Canada says it has been consulting with the International Ice Hockey Federation and other stakeholders about the potential impact on the tournament.

The world juniors begin Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Antigua.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Click here to report an error or typo in this article

Join Our Daily Email

Carney says Russian team won’t be allowed at Alberta’s world junior hockey tournament

More Local News