The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship Germany 2027™ returns to a special venue: At the 61,574-seat Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen (Germany), Team Germany will open the tournament against the reigning Runners-Up Switzerland on May 13th, 202 – one day before the official start of the tournament.
Puck Drops
‘iihf.com’ stated that the first puck drops at 8:20 pm. Seventeen years after the IIHF World Championship 2010 the Veltins-Arena will once again host an opening game. In the legendary 2010 opener Germany defeated Team USA 2-1 in overtime.
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zürich, Switzerland, and has 84 Member countries.
The 2027 IIHF World Championship™ will be hosted by Düsseldorf and Mannheim in Germany from May 13th-30th, 2027. The IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ is the 2027 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship featuring 16 top national ice hockey teams.
The 62,271-seat Arena AufSchalke, currently known as the Veltins-Arena for sponsorship reasons, is a retractable roof and pitch football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It opened on August 13th, 2001.
‘iihf.com’ further stated that with the announcement of the opening game the first ticket sales phase for the IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ began on July 16th, 2026:
- The tickets for the opening game in Gelsenkirchen;
- The VIP venue packages (all games);
- Day packages for the Quarterfinals; and
- The final round packages in Düsseldorf (the Semifinals, the bronze medal game and the gold medal game).
Tickets start at €39 and are available via the official ticket platform of the IIHF World Championship 2027™.
Fan Information for the opening game in Gelsenkirchen
The official Team Germany fan section will be located in the North Curve of the Veltins-Arena.
For fans of the Swiss national team Blocks V and W are designated.
Further Ticket Sales Phases
The ticket sales will take place in several phases. The full game schedule will be published in September 2026 marking the start of the official sales for the day packages. The individual game tickets will be available from February 2027.
Further information on the hospitality offerings will be released in late summer.
The fans can already register now to receive early information about the start of the day package sales in September and secure exclusive ticketing benefits.
‘Extraordinary Ice Hockey Experience’
Commented Claus Gröbner, Managing Director, IIHF World Championship 2027™ Organizing Committee, “With the announcement of the opening game the IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ becomes tangible for fans for the first time. After a long phase of planning and preparation the tournament is now gradually taking shape. An opening game is always a special moment – it marks the beginning of an international sporting festival and creates memories that last far beyond the first day of competition. Starting the IIHF World Championship 2027™ in Germany with such a highlight is truly something special. With the launch of the ticket sales the fans can now become part of this journey and secure their place early for an extraordinary ice hockey experience.”
‘Unforgettable Start’
Maintained Matti Nurminen, Director General, International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), “Gelsenkirchen made ice hockey history in 2010. With the opening game of the IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ coming back to this iconic venue we are building on that ice hockey legacy. The opening game between host Germany and the reigning Runners-Up Switzerland brings together two top hockey nations in a matchup that promises an unforgettable start to the tournament.”
‘First-class Experience’
Added Daniel Hopp, Managing Director (MD), SAP Arena Mannheim and Ticketing by SAP Arena, “The start of ticket sales marks the beginning of anticipation for many fans ahead of the IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™. For us, this anticipation is felt on two levels: At the host city we are preparing the13,600-capacity SAP Arena in Mannheim, Germany, for the tournament with targeted construction measures and organizational preparations. At the same time, as the Official Partner for ticketing, we accompany the fans from their very first ticket purchase. Our goal is to create the best possible conditions – both in Mannheim and in ticketing – for a first-class experience because the journey to the IIHF WM 2027™ begins long before the first puck drops.”
‘Shared Goal’
Commented Kim Lachmann, Managing Director (MD), D.LIVE/D.SPORTS, “The host city of Düsseldorf and the 15,151-capacity PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany, are preparing for a special international sporting event. With the construction of the two new team locker rooms, the additional seating for ice hockey fans, a new rink board system, and further structural and technical measures we are creating the conditions for a modern stage for the IIHF WM 2027™. In parallel with the start of ticket sales preparations on site are continuing at full speed. Our shared goal is to provide teams, fans and the partners with optimal conditions and to deliver an IIHF World Championship Germany 2027™ at the highest level.”
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