Canada to Drop Maple Leaf Jerseys in Hockey World Championship Dispute with IIHF

Many people probably associate Canada’s national ice hockey teams with maple leaves.

The men have worn jerseys featuring the national symbol since the 1920s, and the women have played with maple leaves on their chests since the first World Championship tournament in Ottawa in 1990.

But when the World Championship in Denmark begins, Canada’s jerseys will look different.

The maple leaf is gone.

Instead, Canada will play in solid-coloured jerseys bearing the text “Canada”.

The reason is a high-profile dispute with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that began in autumn 2025. At the time, the IIHF signed an agreement with True Hockey, which became the exclusive supplier of match uniforms and clothing for international events.

The problem? The Canadian Hockey Federation has its own lucrative agreement with Bauer, The Athletic writes. As a result, the federation has not granted True Hockey a licence to use the trademarked maple leaf design.

The United States is in a similar dispute with the IIHF. The American federation has its own agreement with CCM and will therefore also play in minimalist jerseys at the World Championship.

The Athletic writes that discussions between the federations and the IIHF are expected to continue, and that no decision has yet been made about the jerseys for the men’s World Junior Championship, which will be played at the turn of the year.

In any case, it is clear that Sweden will wear its classic jerseys at the women’s World Championship.

“Our jerseys will cost three kronor as usual,” press officer Emma Spennare tells TT.