The National Hockey League (NHL) continues to consider the possibility of the Russian national team participating in the 2028 World Cup and is monitoring changes in the international landscape. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly announced this on August 24.
“We’ve probably done a lot more work behind the scenes than public statements might suggest. Obviously, there is the question of who will participate—which countries will be represented. There will be eight countries, states, or teams. To some extent, we are waiting a bit to see what happens geopolitically with the Russian state,” Daly told The Hockey News.
He noted that the NHL would not necessarily be guided solely by decisions made by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) or the International Olympic Committee (IOC), though he did point to the IOC’s shifting approach regarding the participation of Russian athletes in international competitions.
“Obviously, at some point, we’ll have to make announcements and decisions, so I’d say it’s still a work in progress,” the NHL Deputy Commissioner added.
On July 30, the IIHF announced that it had barred the Russian national hockey team from the 2027 World Championship. The federation denied participation in four out of five competitions due to “continuing concerns regarding safety and the integrity of the sport.” That same day, the Russian Ice Hockey Federation stated its intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to challenge the IIHF’s decision to suspend Russian national teams.
About the Author
