Ice Hockey World Championship, Final on Sunday, 31/05/2026, 20:20
The fact that the Swiss would reach the final for the third time in a row was almost to be expected after the outstanding group stage.
In my Switzerland Finland tip for the eagerly awaited final, I meanwhile expect that with a little luck, the selection Victory Switzerland (incl. OT) at odds of around 1.83 at bet365 could be worthwhile for betting enthusiasts.
Because at the home tournament in the sold-out Swiss Life Arena, the national team is eager to win the first World Cup title in its history.
In addition, the current form clearly speaks for the hosts: The direct duel in the preliminary round already went to the “Nati” with a convincing 4-2, which should also have much fresher legs after the easy 6-0 in the semi-finals than the Finns after their feat of strength against Canada.
I had already predicted it in the group stage, and that’s exactly how it happened: The duel for the World Cup crown is Switzerland against Finland.
For today’s final, however, I see quite a lot of value in the option to win Switzerland with HC -1.5 at odds of currently 3.65, which is customary for bookmakers.
The reason lies in the physicality and efficiency of the hosts. The Swiss top line around Hischier is currently in a league of its own and has won all tournament games so far with at least a two-goal difference.
Since the Finns are likely to be more vulnerable defensively after the intense Canada fight, the Nati will control the game late and secure the handicap victory – presumably through a late empty-netter.
Endgames for gold are tactical battles in which the avoidance of mistakes is absolutely paramount.
Since I firmly assume a defensively focused orientation of both nations in my Switzerland Finland tip, I expect a tough struggle for every centimetre of ice surface, in which top-class scoring chances remain in absolute short supply.
The Finns in particular are known for mixing concrete after taking the lead and not getting involved in an open exchange of blows. A low-scoring, disciplined final in Zurich is therefore almost inevitable.
On the betting markets, the attacking stars of the Swiss are traded extremely high in view of the grand final.
Almost the entire Swiss top line enjoys a clear leap of faith in the Finnish attackers among the bookies, which is no surprise given the offensive power of the national team.
For this final, I very quickly decided on the Andrighetto to meet bet at odds of currently 2.10. With this fair quotation, the bookmakers reflect exactly what the hard facts of this tournament already underpin .
The winger of the ZSC Lions is playing the World Cup of his life: With an impressive 15 scorer points, he leads the entire World Cup scoring list.
In yesterday’s 6-0 victory in the semi-finals, he shone primarily as a brilliant preparer, but in today’s final he will be looking for more and more of a goal in his home Swiss Life Arena in Zurich.
If you look back at recent history, these two nations now meet absolutely at eye level.
In the last four direct duels of the current international season, there has been a constant back and forth, with the Swiss leading by a razor-thin margin after a penalty win and the most recent preliminary round success.
Conclusion: The euphoria in the Swiss camp is boundless after the flawless semi-final victory. In front of their home crowd, the national team is eager to take advantage of the historic chance to win their first gold medal and finally shake off the silver curse of the past.
However, Finland is a tactically excellently trained team on the ice that punishes every small mistake ice-cold.
But thanks to the deeper bench, the outstanding form of top scorer Andrighetto and the loud support of the fans in Zurich, Switzerland will prevail in this battle of attrition and win the World Cup title.
