The semi-final line-up for the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship has officially been confirmed following a dramatic night of quarter-final clashes packed with intensity, standout performances and major storylines.

Canada continued their dominant march through the tournament with an emphatic 4-0 victory over USA, extending their unbeaten run and underlining their status as favourites for the title. Goals from Macklin Celebrini, Dylan Holloway, Connor Brown and veteran captain Sidney Crosby sealed a commanding win for the Canadians, with the final two goals arriving into an empty net as the Americans desperately chased the game.

The defeat also marked the end of the road for the reigning champions. USA, who lifted the trophy last year at the tournament hosted in Sweden and Denmark, were unable to defend their crown against a ruthless Canadian side firing on all cylinders.

Finland booked their place in the semi-finals with a confident 4-1 victory over Czechia. The Finns took control early, racing into a two-goal lead in the opening period thanks to strikes from Sakari Manninen and Anton Lundell. From there, Finland managed the contest superbly and fully justified their tag as one of the tournament favourites.

One of the stories of the championship, however, belongs to Norway. The Norwegians secured a historic 2-0 win over Latvia in a fiercely contested encounter. The decisive second goal came into an empty net with just 16 seconds remaining, sparking emotional celebrations. It is a landmark achievement for Norwegian hockey and arguably the greatest result in the nation’s history at this level.

Switzerland also advanced after defeating Sweden 3-1 in another impressive display. Goals from Roman Josi, Denis Malgin and Calvin Thürkauf proved enough to send the Swiss into the final four and keep alive their hopes of a historic world title.