TORONTO – Hockey Canada, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and TSN announced today the tournament schedule for Canada’s fan-favourite hockey holiday tradition, the 2021 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP. Live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, TSN delivers complete coverage of all 28 tournament games, beginning on Christmas Day for the first time since the 2005 tournament, and culminating with wall-to-wall coverage of all four quarterfinal games on Saturday, Jan. 2, both semi-finals on Sunday, Jan. 3, and the Gold Medal Game on Tuesday, Jan. 5. The complete tournament schedule is available here.

Taking place this year without fans in attendance, the tournament opens with three games on Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25): Switzerland taking on Slovakia, Germany vs. Finland, and Russia squaring off against the United States. Team Canada opens their tournament against Germany on Saturday, Dec. 26; and goes head-to-head with Slovakia on Sunday, Dec. 27, Switzerland on Tuesday, Dec. 29, and closes out the preliminary round on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31, against Finland.

Canada’s Sports Leader drops the puck on live World Juniors coverage by delivering all 10 pre-tournament games, kicking off Sunday, Dec. 20. Headlined by Team Canada’s tune-up matchups against Russia and Sweden, the complete schedule of pre-tournament action on TSN is available here.

The 10-team tournament features Canada in Group A along with Finland, Germany, Slovakia, and Switzerland. Group B is comprised of Austria, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Additional broadcast details, including TSN’s comprehensive digital, radio, and broadcast coverage plans, are to be announced.

Counting down to the excitement of the tournament, TSN relives some of the most memorable World Juniors moments of the last three decades with WORLD JUNIOR ENCORES, airing Mondays from Oct. 19 to Dec. 14 on TSN2. Celebrating some of the most unforgettable matchups and heated rivalries, TSN’s WORLD JUNIOR ENCORES showcase hockey’s elite superstars before they made the leap to the NHL. For the full broadcast schedule, click here.

The 2021 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP marks the 31st anniversary of the tournament airing on Canada’s Sports Leader.