Photo: belta.by

The ice hockey federations of Belarus and Latvia will sign an agreement on cohosting the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga, the press service of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation told media.

The document will specify how the ice hockey federations will split responsibilities with regard to preparations for the world championship. A marketing strategy and a budget of the world championship will be specified.

A press conference will be held with Chairman of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation Gennady Savilov, Secretary General of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation Pavel Mikhed, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation and member of the Council of the International Ice Hockey Federation Sergei Goncharov, President of the Latvian Hockey Federation Aigars Kalvitis, and Secretary General of the Latvian Hockey Federation Viesturs Koziols.

Belarus and Latvia were granted the right to host a world ice hockey championship in 2021 during the congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation in Cologne in May 2017. The joint bid of Minsk and Riga during the IIHF congress got 55 votes.

The two neighboring countries have already hosted a world championship before. Latvia hosted the IIHF World Championship in 2006 for the first time. Belarus hosted another championship in 2014. The final match and semifinals of the IIHF 2021 World Championship will take place in Minsk.