Slovenia stuns Prague: historic win over Czech Republic at 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship

It was a match nobody expected. Slovenia, a country with fewer than three million inhabitants and a hockey tradition that is still being built, defeated one of the historically strongest hockey powers — the Czech Republic — at the 2026 IIHF World Championship on Saturday. The 4:3 result after overtime caused complete shock at the ice rink and spontaneous celebrations in Ljubljana that lasted deep into the night.

Match report

The Czech Republic entered the game as a clear favourite and confirmed that status with an early goal in the third minute. But the Slovenians did not break. They gradually equalised to 1:1 and went into the second period feeling light on their feet. The dramatic turnaround came in the third period when the Slovenian captain put the puck past the Czech goalkeeper for 3:2. The Czechs equalised 55 seconds before the end — and it seemed overtime would just be a formality before their victory. But at 63:47, defender Blaž Gregorc sealed the Slovenian triumph with a precise shot into the top corner.

A historic moment for Slovenian hockey

For Slovenia, this is one of the most significant victories in the history of its independent national team. The team coached by Matjaž Kopitar showed that Slovenian hockey has matured — combining speed, discipline and hockey intelligence that today exceeds expectations on paper. "We believed in ourselves. We knew we could surprise," said goalkeeper Jan Urbas after the match, who made a number of key saves.

A connection that goes beyond sport

The Czech-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce congratulates the Slovenian national team on this extraordinary result. Sport is a bridge between nations — and these victories remind us how alive and strong the bond between the Czech Republic and Slovenia is. We believe that the same energy, focus and teamwork that the Slovenian hockey players showed on the ice will translate into the world of business and trade between our two countries.