List of IIHF World Under-20 Championship medalists
The IIHF World Junior Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world. It is traditionally held from late December to the beginning of January. The main tournament features the top ten ranked hockey nations in the world, comprising the "Top Division", from which a world champion is crowned. There are also three lower pools—divisions I, II and III—that each play separate tournaments playing for the right to be promoted to a higher pool with the last place team facing relegation to a lower pool.[1]
The first official tournament was held in 1977. Prior to that, there had been invitational tournaments in 1974, 1975 and 1976 that were not sanctioned by the IIHF.[2]
As of 2021, 45 official tournaments have been staged. Six nations have won a gold medal and ten have won medals. Historically, the tournament has been dominated by Canada (18 gold medals) and the Soviet Union / CIS / Russia (13 gold medals). The USSR won the first four official tournaments, while the Canadians put together five straight championships between 1993 and 1997, and another five straight from 2005 to 2009. Canada leads the all-time gold medal count with 18 golds, while the Soviet Union/CIS/Russia have 13 golds. In the 2010s the competition has become more level with the United States and Finland each winning three and Canada winning two gold medals. Russia and Sweden also remained competitive winning one gold each.
Medalists
The winners by season listed below.
Unofficial tournaments
| Year |  Gold |
 Silver |
 Bronze |
Host city (cities) | Host country (countries) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 |  Soviet Union |
 Finland |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Canada |
Leningrad | Soviet Union |
| 1975 | Soviet Union |
Canada |
 Sweden |
Winnipeg and Brandon Minneapolis, Bloomington and Fargo |
Canada United States |
| 1976 | Soviet Union |
Canada |
 Czechoslovakia |
Tampere, Turku, Pori and Rauma | Finland |
Official tournaments
- Key
- (#) Number of tournaments (or 2nd placed/3rd places) won at the time.
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
Medal table
The unofficial tournaments held prior to 1977 are not included in this table.
Countries in italics no longer compete at the World Championships.
| Country | Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
Medals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada |
18 | 10 | 5 | 33 |
 Russia Soviet Union CISTotal |
4 8 1 13 |
10 3 0 13 |
9 2 0 11 |
23 13 1 37 |
| Finland |
5 | 4 | 7 | 16 |
| United States |
5 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
| Sweden |
2 | 11 | 6 | 19 |
| Czech Republic Czechoslovakia Total |
2 0 2 |
0 5 5 |
1 6 7 |
3 11 14 |
 Slovakia |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Switzerland |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 45 | 45 | 45 | 135 |
References
- Footnotes
- α During the final game of the tournament, Canada and the Soviet Union became engaged in a violent bench-clearing brawl while Canada was leading 4–2. Consequently, the game was declared null and void, and both teams were ejected from the tournament; while the Soviets were out of medal contention, Canada was playing for the gold medal and were guaranteed at least a bronze.[8][9]
- β Canada will host the tournament every 3 or 4 years. In 1990, Canada decided to switch years with Finland.
- General
- "IIHF World U20 Championships". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- "World Juniors–medal Winners Since 1974". TSN. Archived from the original on 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- "Team Canada > National Junior Team > Past Results". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- "Medal standings". worldjuniors2008.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-06. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- Specific
- "Tournament playing format". worldjuniors2008.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- "International hockey timeline". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
- "Story 59" International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
- "Brotherly but divided". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
- "2011 IIHF World U20 Championship". International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 2010-12-27.
- "Toronto and Montreal to host 2015 and 2017 world juniors". TSN. 19 June 2013.
- Seravalli, Frank (3 December 2015). "Sources: Outdoor game planned for 2018 World Juniors in Buffalo". TSN.
- Doug Harrison. "Backgrounder–2008 World Junior Hockey Championship". CBC Sports. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- "Team Canada > National Junior Team > History". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
