Since winning the 2022 world championship on home ice, Finland have fallen at the quarter-final stage three times in a row, most recently losing to eventual winners the United States a year ago.
Antti Pennanen's side will be hopeful of going better this time and have the form to back them up after winning the bronze medals at the Winter Olympics earlier this year.
Here, Flashscore details the upcoming World Championship, Finland's schedule and the playing squad selected to get back on the podium.
When and where is the 2026 World Championship?
The 2026 World Championship begins on May 15th running until May 31st in the cities of Zurich and Fribourg in Switzerland.
Group A matches will take place at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, while Group B games will be played at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.
The World Championship final will be held on May 31st in Zurich, where the semi-finals and third-place play-off will also take place.
2026 World Championship groups
Group A: USA, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain
Group B: Canada, Sweden, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Italy
Finland's 2026 World Championship schedule
All times CEST
May 15th: Finland vs Germany (16:20)
May 16th: Finland vs Hungary (16:20)
May 18th: Finland vs United States (16:20)
May 21st: Finland vs Latvia (16:20)
May 22nd: Finland vs Great Britain (20:20)
May 24th: Finland vs Austria (20:20)
May 26th: Switzerland vs Finland (20:20)
Finland's 2026 World Championship squad
Leijonat announced their squad for the tournament in Switzerland on 10th May. 12 players have been selected from the National Hockey League, while two featured in the Finnish top flight, Liiga, this season. Eight of the 25 will be on familiar territory, as they ply their trade in Switzerland.
Goaltenders: Harri Sateri Harri, Justus Annunen, Joonas Korpisalo
Defencemen: Olli Maatta, Mikko Lehtonen, Henri Jokiharju, Vili Saarijarvi, Nikolas Matinpalo, Ville Heinola, Mikael Seppala, Urho Vaakanainen
Forwards: Jesse Puljujarvi, Anton Lundell, Aleksander Barkov, Waltteri Merela, Patrik Puistola, Sami Paivarinta, Hannes Bjorninen, Janne Kuokkanen, Aatu Raty, Eemil Erholtz, Sakari Manninen, Saku Maenalanen, Teuvo Teravainen, Lenni Hameenaho
Head coach: Antti Pennanen
Finland's history at the World Ice Hockey Championship
Finland first participated at the 1939 World Championship, which was also hosted in Zurich, as well as Basel. However, it took until 1992 for Suomi to reach the podium for the first time, taking the silver medals in Czechoslovakia in 1992.
They only needed to wait another three years for their first gold, winning the tournament in Sweden in 1995, which was the first of four Finnish golds at the worlds so far, preceding titles in 2011, 2019 and 2022. Finland have also picked up nine silvers and three bronzes since those inaugural medals in 1992, putting them fifth on the all-time medal table.
Since their most recent title in 2022, where they beat Canada in the final in Tampere, Finland have finished seventh, eighth and seventh at the World Championship, unable to break what is quickly becoming a quarter-final curse.