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St. Paul hosts World Juniors Hockey Championship
People from across the world have flocked to Minnesota for the World Juniors Ice Hockey Championship tournament. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has more.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The 2026 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship started its 10-day stretch on Friday, bringing spectators from all over the world and boosting local businesses.
Hockey tournament brings crowds to Twin Cities
Business impact:
Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub said it expects big crowds over the nearly two-week period. Bar stools and tables started to fill rapidly after opening Friday morning, the first day of the tournament.
Things to do:
Rice Park in St. Paul has several family-friendly activities, including games, photo opportunities and the largest hockey puck in the world.
What they're saying:
"Good crowds all around," said Justin Christensen, manager at Tom Reid’s. "It’s a big uptick. We usually go – the Wild bring us along nicely, but when this full 10 days happens, we see a lot."
The games are bringing spectators from around the world. The Novotny family flew in from the Czech Republic. They have a personal connection to the tournament.
"We are so excited because my brother [unintelligible] plays here," said Tereza Novotny.