“We got nine points, one less than last year,” emphasized Head coach Roger Bader the good performance of his team and is also full of praise: “After the high-profile failures, it was feared that we would have to fight hard to stay in the league. The fact that we were able to cope with this so well in the first few games is not a given. The team deserves huge praise.”
The courageous performances once again won the hearts of the fans. Apart from the game against hosts Switzerland, the ÖEHV selection, supported by the home fans of the UFTA (United Fans of Team Austria), was also pushed from the stands.
“Apart from the Switzerland game, we have always had the fans on our side. They have sympathy for us because of our style of play and our fighting spirit,” he also said happily Roger Bader about the support of his Swiss compatriots.
“If someone had told us before the World Cup that the World Cup would end like this, with nine points and a chance to reach the quarter-finals, we would have taken it straight away. Of course you’re still disappointed if you don’t make it,” tried Peter Schneider to look soberly at the end after the defeat against the USA.
The 35-year-old led Austria as captain for the first time at a World Cup and was optimistic about the future: “There were a lot of new players who will be important for the national team in the future. They will definitely play even more confidently at the next World Cup.” The next World Cup is in Germany. The venues are Mannheim and Düsseldorf.
The 2026 World Cup will continue from Thursday with the quarter-final decisions. ORF will broadcast two quarter-final games, both semi-finals, the game for third place and the final LIVE:
Quarterfinals: Canada vs. USA
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 4:10 p.m., ORF SPORT + and ORF On
Quarterfinals: Switzerland vs. Sweden
Thursday, May 28, 2026, 8:15 p.m., ORF SPORT +
Semifinal 1
Sat., May 30, 2026, 3:10 p.m., ORF SPORT +
Semifinal 2
Sat., May 30, 2026, 7:50 p.m., ORF SPORT +
Game for 3rd place
Sun., May 31, 2026, 3:20 p.m., ORF On
final
Sun., May 31, 2026, 8:15 p.m., ORF SPORT +
eishockey.at , Image: ÖEHV-Nicolas Zangerle
