Adam Williams presents his prediction for the IIHF World Championship match.
The Danish leg of the Ice Hockey World Championship gets underway with a high-profile encounter between Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Despite the absence of the host nation, this fixture stands out as the marquee clash of the day, serving as a rematch of last year’s final, where the Czech Republic national ice hockey team secured the title.
Switzerland
That tournament, hosted in the Czech Republic, marked just the third time in the 21st century that Switzerland reached the podium — finishing as runners-up in 2013, 2018, and 2024. In the previous edition, they surpassed expectations, eliminating both North American giants in the knockout rounds: a 1:0 win over the USA in the quarter-finals and a 3:2 semi-final win against Canada. Only the Czech Republic managed to contain them, posting a 2:0 win in the final.
Czech Republic
Since that memorable showdown, the two sides have met four times in the Euro Hockey Tour, which spans four stages. The series has leaned in favour of the Czech Republic, with three wins to one. Notably, Switzerland came out on top in their most recent encounter, which took place during the Czech stage of the tour – a 5:3 victory. However, two of the other three matches were low-scoring affairs, with the Czech Republic earning shutouts in both (2:0 and 3:0).
Switzerland vs Czech Republic Prediction
In addition, the Czech Republic will enter the World Championship with a more formidable goaltending setup. Either Karel Vejmelka (the Utah Grizzlies) or Daniel Vladař (the Calgary Flames) is expected to start between the pipes. These two are currently the top Czech goaltenders in the NHL, with goals-against averages of 2.58 and 2.80, respectively, this season. By contrast, the Swiss will be without their only NHL-based netminder — Akira Schmid— as the Vegas Golden Knights remain in contention for the Stanley Cup. We expect a tight, low-scoring affair; more than five goals would be a genuine surprise – as would a Switzerland win in regulation.
