The semifinals are the penultimate stage of the IIHF World Championship 2026 and determine which two teams will compete for the gold medal. The four teams that win their quarterfinal matchups advance to this round.
The semifinal stage consists of two single-elimination games. Matchups may be determined either by tournament seeding or by a pre-set bracket system, depending on official IIHF regulations for that year.
Each semifinal is played under standard IIHF rules. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, it proceeds to overtime. If necessary, a shootout is used to determine the winner.
The winners of the two semifinal games advance to the gold medal final, where they compete for the world championship title. The losing semifinal teams move on to the bronze medal game, where they compete for third place.
The semifinals are among the most high-pressure and competitive games of the tournament, as teams are only one win away from playing for the gold medal.
