Canada’s 2025 World Juniors starts with Boxing Day game against Finland

The International Ice Hockey Federation has released the schedule for the 2025 World Junior Championship, which will see Canada facing off against Finland on Boxing Day, the first day of the tournament.

650 CKOM and 980 CJME will broadcast all of Team Canada’s games during the championships.

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The tournament is back on Canadian soil this year, with Ottawa chosen as the host city. The games will be played at the Canadian Tire Centre – home of the Ottawa Senators – and at TD Place.

The United States will be the defending champions in 2025, after beating Sweden 6-2 in this year’s final.

Canada finished this year’s tournament in fifth place, behind the U.S.A., Sweden, the Czech Republic and Finland.

“It is hard to believe that puck drop is only 100 days away, and we cannot wait to see both venues packed with fans cheering on the best junior hockey players in the world this holiday season,” Katherine Henderson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada, said in a statement.

In the preliminary round, Canada will join the U.S.A., Finland, Latvia and Germany in Group A, playing at Canadian Tire Centre, while Sweden, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan will form Group B, playing at TD Place.

After opening the tournament against Finland on December 26, Canada will play Latvia on Dec. 27 and Germany on Dec. 29. On New Year’s Eve, Team Canada will face off against its American rivals.

The relegation game and quarterfinals will be held on January 2, ahead of the semifinal on Jan. 4 and the medal games on Jan. 5.

While more than 155,000 fans signed up for a draw in order to have the first chance to purchase tickets, some single-game seats will go on sale to the public on Friday.

The full schedule for the tournament can be found online.