2026 U18 Men’s World Championship Update | Progress Report

The 2026 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship is scheduled to occur from April 22 to May 2, 2026, in Trencin and Bratislava, Slovakia. Scroll down for an inside perspective on Team USA’s experience, from the beginning of camp to the team’s concluding moments at this year’s world championship!

2026 U18 Men’s Worlds U.S. Under-18 Men’s World History Team USA Schedule

April 14 | Are We There Yet?

It was an extensive travel day for Team USA, so much so that we need to rewind to Monday.

The team and staff convened at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., on Monday afternoon before departing for the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, commonly referred to as DTW, at 2:00 p.m. ET for the first of four legs of the 19-hour travel day.

A significant number of hockey bags were scattered across the airport floor as players waited patiently for their names to be called by the group check-in staff, while the red, white, and blue bags slowly made their way toward the carousel, which would not be seen until the final destination. A few players were curious to see if their personal checked bags exceeded the 50-pound limit, and let’s just say, some players had to transfer items into their carry-ons.

After everyone passed through security, several players stopped at Chic-Fil-A to enjoy their chicken sandwiches by the terminal before boarding the plane.

The second leg of the journey was the longest, an overseas flight from Detroit to Amsterdam, Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), lasting approximately 8.5 hours. Players engaged in discussions about which movies or shows to watch and when to catch some sleep, along with deciding between the chicken or pasta meal served on the flight. It was about a 50/50 split, with both options being popular. Among those watching entertainment was forward Brayden Willis (Gilbert, Ariz.), who viewed a few episodes of S.W.A.T., while netminder Brady Knowling (Chicago, Ill.) chose the psychological thriller Shutter Island.

Most of the team managed to catch some sleep, which was much needed, as the plane landed in Amsterdam at 7:31 a.m. local time (GMT+2), or in simpler terms, the start of Tuesday. The team navigated through customs and had nearly a 4-hour layover with some time to spare. Some grabbed breakfast croissants, while others explored what the House of Tulips offered, which included fresh tulips, tulip magnets, tulip chocolates, etc., a well-known aspect of the Netherlands.

Following the layover, the third leg of the trip began with a shorter, 1.5-hour flight from Amsterdam to Vienna, Austria, arriving at Vienna International Airport (VIE). Most players and staff continued to catch up on their sleep during the brief journey, as the plane landed in Vienna at 1:27 p.m. local time or 7:27 a.m. ET.

The team awaited its luggage, and it took a collective effort to transport all personal bags, stick bags, hockey bags, athletic training bags, equipment bags, and more to ground transportation, where the fourth and final leg would commence.

A sprinter van and coach bus were ready as the players played Tetris to fit all of the hockey equipment into the van… They succeeded. Everyone boarded the coach bus while equipment manager Brock Bradley (West Stockholm, N.Y.) traveled with the van to the rink to begin unpacking. As Bradley headed to the rink, the team was nearing the end of its travel day, with just a one-hour bus ride separating them from the hotel.

The final leg concluded as the bus arrived at the hotel at 3:24 p.m. local time, where everyone dropped off their bags in their rooms, had a quick lunch in the team room, and then headed off to practice.

In total, Team USA began its travel day at 2:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. GMT+2 on Monday and finished at 9:24 a.m. ET/3:24 p.m. GMT+2 on Tuesday.

Hello from Vladimir Dzurilla Ice Stadium

The team wasted no time getting on the ice as it headed to the rink less than an hour after arriving at the hotel. The 10-minute bus ride, which now felt brief to the players, passed quickly as the U.S. arrived at its venue for the next two weeks, the Vladimir Dzurilla Ice Stadium. Team USA will hold its pre-tournament camp here, which will include practices and a couple of pre-tournament games, followed by its four preliminary-round games, with the quarterfinal matchups yet to be determined. The semifinals and bronze/gold-medal games will occur at Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium in Trencin, Slovakia. For Team USA’s complete schedule, click HERE.

The Vladimir Dzurilla Ice Stadium features two ice sheets, the main rink and the practice rink, with the main rink accommodating 3,000 spectators, surrounded by wooden bleacher seats on three-quarters of the rink, while the north endzone is designated for suite seating.

The players unpacked their equipment and surveyed the area before getting dressed, as Joe Meloni (Falmouth, Mass.), director of sports science, led a warm-up to get the blood circulating and the body moving after the travel day before the team took to the ice.

While the main rink was still being prepared for the tournament, the team walked across the hall to the practice rink, known as ‘The Freezer’ to locals, where the indoor thermometer read 4 degrees Celsius, or 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit, thus living up to its name.

Despite the lengthy travel day, Team USA was eager to begin on the ice, executing a comprehensive one-hour practice plan, even with the cold conditions.

The team returned to the hotel for dinner before everyone went to bed for some much-needed rest.

Sharing in Slovakia

We will be sharing insights about Team USA throughout the tournament by featuring a new player each day. Today, hear from Team USA forward and University of Denver commit, Mikey Berchild, as the Minnetonka, Minn., native responds to some questions!

Window seat or aisle?

Aisle

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird

Beach or mountains?

Beach

Dogs or cats?

Dogs

Favorite video game?

Fortnite

Favorite concert you’ve attended?

Morgan Wallen

Favorite school subject?

History

White or black tape?

White

Whites or blues (jerseys)?

Whites

Score OT winner or game-saving block?

OT winner

Favorite player growing up?

Dylan Larkin

I model my game after…

Brayden Point

Favorite pregame meal?

Sweet potatoes and chicken

Favorite Chipotle protein?

Chicken

Favorite hockey memory?

Winning a national championship at Shattuck