Sfantu Gheorghe, a city of 50,000 people located in a valley between two mountain ranges in Transylvania, is the site of the 2025 IIHF World Championship Division I Group A tournament. This year’s field of six teams includes one – Ukraine – that was promoted by winning Division I Group B last year, two – Great Britain and Poland – that were relegated from the elite division of last year’s Worlds, and three – Italy, Japan and host Romania – that are returnees from last year’s Group A in Bolzano.

Between 27 April and 3 May, the six teams will play a round-robin tournament – one game against each of the other teams. After five games, the top two teams will earn advancement to the 2026 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, teams three through five will return to Group A next year and the sixth-place team will be relegated to Group B.

Great Britain, Italy and Poland will be considered among the favourites to advance, Japan and Ukraine will set their sights on avoiding relegation and, based on past results, host Romania could figure into either of those groups or fall somewhere in the middle. While some teams will be favoured more than others, it’s important to remember that this group is always very competitive and there always seems to be at least one team that surprises, so nothing is for sure.

Ordered according to the IIHF World Ranking, here are the six teams:

Great Britain

Once a regular participant in Division I, the Brits have played four of their last five World Championships in the elite division, and anything less than earning a return trip next year will be a bitter disappointment. The good news is they have won their last three Division I tournaments – either Group A or B – dating back to 2017. This team is full of high-level international experience led by netminder Ben Bowns, defenceman Ben O’Connor and captain Robert Dowd. If Eisbaren Berlin wrap up the DEL title on Friday, Liam Kirk might be able to join Team GB for the start of the tournament.

Italy

The Italians had high hopes of advancing last year on home ice but fell just short in a tight race. Having qualified for next year’s Winter Olympics as hosts, they would dearly love to improve upon last year’s showing and return to the elite division for the first time since 2022. To that end, the hiring of three-time World Champion Finnish coach Jukka Jalonen should be a step in the right direction. Returning in goal is 20-year-old Anaheim Ducks prospect Damian Clara, who plays in Sweden, and British-born captain Thomas Larkin, who was the Top Defenceman at last year’s Group A tournament.

Poland

In 2023, after just advancing up from Division I Group B, Poland surprisingly finished second in Group A and was promoted to the elite-level World Championship last year. Now back in Group A, the Poles will aim to prove their accomplishment two years ago was no fluke. The team is led offensively by captain Krystian Dziubinski, who was the top scorer and Top Forward of the Group A tournament two years ago, and 20-year-old ex-WHLer Krzysztof Maszias, who has just signed with Vitkovice of the Czech Extraliga.

Romania

Romania was the surprise team of last year’s tournament in Bolzano. After appearing in danger of being relegated in their first two games, the Romanians then won three straight and just missed advancing on a tiebreaker. Now, playing on home ice, they aim to return to return to the elite division for the first time since 1977. At the same time, this team coached by Dave MacQueen that is concentrated almost entirely on three clubs in the Hungarian-Romanian Erste Liga knows that its whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and it won’t beat anyone this week on talent alone.

Japan

Last year in Bolzano, playing in Division I-A for the first time since 2016, the Japanese accomplished their goal by remaining in the group. And although their only win last year was over relegated Korea, they took Italy to overtime and didn’t lose any game by more than two goals. Therefore, adding to their points total and moving up the standings is certainly dobale, but by no means are they safe from relegation either. As was the case last year, they might be without their top scoring threat, former AHLer Yushiroh Hirano, who finished the season in the DEL.

Ukraine

Moving up into this group is Ukraine, which won Group B last year with a perfect 5-0 record, outscoring its opponents 31-2. Obviously, the Ukrainians will find Group A much more difficult, but this won’t be a team to take lightly. With their homeland still in turmoil, most of this roster plays abroad, spread across 10 different countries. The team’s leader is captain Igor Merezhko, who plays in the Czech Extraliga for Plzen, who was named Top Defenceman of last year’s Division B tournament in Lithuania. Staying in this group will be the primary goal of this team, but there’s always the dream of a return to the elite division for the first time since 2007.