ZURICH, May 29 (LETA) - At the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Congress on Friday, the hosting rights for the 2030 Ice Hockey World Championships were awarded to Latvia and Finland, according to the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.

Last December, the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation (LHF), together with the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, began the bidding process to co-host the 2030 Ice Hockey World Championships and were the only candidates to host the tournament.

The tournament will take place in Riga and Helsinki from May 17 to June 2. Riga and Helsinki will each host one group stage, with two quarterfinal matches taking place in each city, while the semifinals and medal games will be held in Helsinki.

The LHF informs that the evaluation of the joint bid took place in several stages, with the IIHF assessing the organizational plans and infrastructure. In the vote, the Finnish and Latvian bid received the support of 98.23 percent of the IIHF Congress delegates.

"Latvia and Finland are united not only by hockey, but also by a shared understanding of what true hockey culture means. The 2030 World Championships will be an opportunity for two hockey nations to combine their experience, passion, and the energy of their fans to jointly create a tournament that will be remembered by the entire hockey world. I am convinced that Riga and Helsinki together will show what a world-class hockey celebration looks like," emphasized LHF President Aigars Kalvitis.

Latvia previously hosted the World Championships in 2006, 2021, and 2023.

In 2027, the World Championships will take place in Germany, in 2028 in France, and in 2029 in Slovakia. The Winter Olympics will also be held in 2030.