The IIHF eWorld Championship returns!
by Lucas Aykroyd|08 DEC 2022
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As if the hype to play virtual ice hockey is not already on a high, the IIHF brings the global gaming community another high-class experience to be part of. The 2023 IIHF eWorld Championship kicks off on 28 January with the national qualifications, and the virtual international hockey tournament being played on EA SPORTS™ NHL™ 23 is again ready to welcome PlayStation and Xbox players from 22 countries. Same as last year, the two players coming out of the national qualifiers will compete as a team against the best players in the world for the 2023 IIHF eWM title.

Registration opens on 8 December. To register and get all the latest details, visit the official web site gaming.iihf.com!
This marks the third incarnation of the IIHF eWorld Championship, and it’s a hat trick to celebrate. The participating players have the chance to play for their share of €20,000 and become the official 2023 IIHF eWorld Champions! 

“After the successful first edition of the IIHF eWorld Championship last year and the very positive feedback from the participating players, we are excited to announce the next edition with the 2023 IIHF eWorld Championship starting end of January. We want to provide the global gaming community with a great experience on the virtual ice by providing them a platform to compete for the IIHF eWorld Championship title,” said IIHF President Luc Tardif.

In the spirit of inclusion, the 2023 IIHF eWM qualifiers are open to everyone who is at least 16 years of age and has one of the 22 required citizenships. There are 44 open spots and two players per team, with no prior skill requirements.
Gamers will compete for the 2023 IIHF eWorld Championship on PlayStation and Xbox.
Whether you’re eager to represent your country or just love watching the world’s best gamers going at it on Twitch, this is an event you can’t afford to miss.

The IIHF and its Member National Associations have been officially licensed and represented in the game since December 2021. In its young history, the IIHF eWorld Championship has already earned a well-deserved reputation for being fun, fast-paced, and fan-friendly.
Finland won the 2022 IIHF eWorld Championship, as Erik “Eki” Tammenpää and Valtteri “Vattuyy” Virtanen pulled off a thrilling 8-7 overtime win over the United States in the gold medal game. Tammenpää was named MVP, a title the four-time European champion also captured when he steered Finland – along with Joel “Rottadee” Myllymaki – to victory in the 2020 IIHF Esports Fan Championship.

Based on positive feedback from gamers and hockey fans worldwide, the 2023 tournament will feature the same overall format as in 2022. Enabling as many players as possible to take part, the tournament will be staged with the PS4 and Xbox One version of NHL™ 23.

Here are the key dates you need to know:

Qualifiers: 28 January – 7 February

Group Stage: 18 – 19 February (2 groups of five, 2 groups of six, 2 matches per encounter (PS/XBox), 2 top teams in each group advance)

Quarter-finals: 25 – 26 February (8 countries compete in knockout stage)

Semi-finals and Final: 4 – 5 March (8 countries compete in knockout stage: QF, SF, finals)

The IIHF is proud to present the 2023 IIHF eWorld Championship in partnership with EA SPORTS™ and official sponsors Skoda and Strauss. May the best team win! You can stay up-to-date by checking out the official web site gaming.iihf.com.