It’s gameday for Great Britain as the World Championship campaign begins against Austria at the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich at 12:20 (11:20 BST).
It’s the first of seven games in Group A as GB also face USA, Hungary, Switzerland, Finland, Latvia and Germany.
GB are back at the top level for the first time since 2024 in Czechia following last season’s promotion in Romania in Division IA.
It’s a fifth appearance in eight years at the top-flight World Championship after Slovakia (2019), Latvia (2021), Finland (2022) and Czechia (2024).
GB warmed up for the tournament with four matches against Italy which saw each side win twice.
The final game of the four-match series was a 5-3 victory for Britain in Varese in Varese on Tuesday night, led by a hat-trick by Josh Waller.
Team News
Pete Russell has a fully-fit squad to choose from and the full line-up will be announced ahead of face-off.
Liam Kirk linked up with the team on Wednesday after winning the DEL2 playoffs in Germany.
As many as seven players could make their World Championship debuts with netminder Mat Robson, defenceman Travis Brown, Bradley Jenion and Liam Steele, as well as forwards Bayley Harewood, Jack Hopkins and Sam Lyne all available to be part of the 22-man gameday roster from the squad of 25.
Spotlight on Austria
Austria have played eight games in the build-up with the final match being a 4-1 victory over Slovenia last week.
Last year, Austria reached just their second quarter-final berth since the IIHF instituted the playoff system at the Men’s Worlds in 1992.
Upsetting Slovakia 3-2 in a shootout and trouncing Latvia 6-1 were among the highlights from the 2025 edition.
Previous Meetings
Great Britain and Austria have met 18 times in major international tournaments with GB winning six times, Austria 11 and there’s been one draw.
The two sides met at the 2024 World Championship in Prague with GB securing a 4-2 victory.
Austria went ahead on the powerplay through Clemens Unterweger’s blast from just inside the blueline (22:40). Ben Lake won the face-off and Ben O’Connor fired the puck into the top corner to equalise (27:42).
GB went ahead on the powerplay as Robert Dowd’s pass towards goal took a deflection off a skate and Brett Perlini scored at the backdoor (41:59).
Ben Bowns made a good save to deny Dominic Zwerger, before Evan Mosey scored GB’s third with a neat move from close-range (50:23).
Dowd scored into an empty net with netminder lifted for the extra outskater (55:31), before Austria scored a late powerplay goal through Mario Huber at the backdoor (59:15).
Live Coverage and Updates
The match can be watched on iihf.tv with individual game purchases and tournament passes available. Click here to buy and for more information.
There’ll be updates throughout the game on the Great Britain X account which can be followed here.
World Championship: Group A in Zurich
Saturday 16th May: Great Britain v Austria 12:20 (11:20 BST)
Sunday 17th May: Great Britain v USA 12:20 (11:20 BST)
Tuesday 19th May: Hungary v Great Britain 20:20 (19:20 BST)
Thursday 21st May: Switzerland v Great Britain 20:20 (19:20 BST)
Friday 22nd May: Finland v Great Britain 20:20 (19:20 BST)
Sunday 24th May: Great Britain v Latvia 16:20 (15:20 BST)
Monday 25th May: Germany v Great Britain 20:20 (19:20 BST)