Canada vs Norway: who will take bronze at the 2026 World Championship?
Canada
Norway
On Sunday, May 31, the bronze-medal game of the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship will take place. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 15:30 CET, and here is a betting preview for the contest.
Canada vs Norway: match preview
Canada men's national ice hockey team arrived at this World Championship with a star-studded roster packed with elite NHL talent. Having not won the tournament since 2023, the Canadians were determined to reclaim the gold medal.
The Maple Leafs won every game in the group stage and then shut out the United States 4–0 in the quarter-finals, but their run came to an end in the semi-finals. Canada faced Finland men's national ice hockey team and suffered a 4–2 defeat after conceding three goals in the second period.
As a result, they now find themselves in the bronze-medal game. That outcome is unlikely to satisfy expectations in Canada, especially after three years without a World Championship title and a defeat in the Olympic final.
Norway national ice hockey team have been one of the great stories of the 2026 World Championship. They enjoyed an excellent group stage, finishing second in the standings with only two defeats. In the quarter-finals, they faced Latvia in a challenging contest but secured a 2–0 shutout victory.
In the semi-finals, they came up against hosts Switzerland national ice hockey team, and it proved difficult to produce another upset. Norway failed to score and conceded six goals in a heavy defeat. Now they will attempt to fight for a bronze medal. Remarkably, Norway do not have a single NHL player on their roster at this tournament, making their run even more impressive and inspirational.
Match facts & H2H
- Canada have not won a World Championship gold medal since 2023.
- Norway have reached the semi-finals for the first time and will play for a medal at the World Championship.
- The last meeting between these teams ended in a 6–5 overtime victory for Canada.
Prediction
Both teams undoubtedly hoped to be playing for gold, but they will now look to finish the tournament on a high note with bronze medals. The recommended bet is Canada team total over 4 goals at odds of 1.45. The Canadians should be highly motivated to leave this tournament with a place on the podium.
