World Junior hockey pop-up opens in Mall of America ahead of championships
Minnesota is now one month away from hosting the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Championships, one of the most anticipated international events in hockey. And preparations are already underway inside Mall of America in Bloomington.
A pop up store called the World Juniors Fan Headquarters opened this week on the third level of the mall. It marks the beginning of the countdown to the 50th edition of the World Junior Championship which runs from Dec. 26, 2025, through Jan. 5, 2026.
The tournament brings together the best men's players under the age of 20 from the top ten hockey nations in the world. Many fans describe the tournament as a chance to see future stars before they reach the NHL, and say it's where their careers truly began.
This is the seventh time the United States has hosted the World Juniors, and only the second time it has come to Minnesota. The games will be played at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, which organizers say were built for this level of hockey. Team USA will be chasing a historic third-straight gold medal with Gophers coach Bob Motzko at the helm.
Minnesota Sports and Events, the group responsible for bringing the tournament to the state, says the fan headquarters is intended to be more than a merchandise stop. The store features tournament history, ticket information and a wall that highlights nearly 200 Minnesotans who have competed in past World Juniors.
"You know almost all of them," said Wendy Blackshaw, CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events. "They played not only in World Juniors, but you know, the Gophers, UMD, NHL. It's incredible."
Any major NHL star you have heard of once played in the tournament. Nearly every NHL roster features World Juniors alumni, including 18 current Minnesota Wild players such as Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Zeev Buium.
"These kids are playing for their country, and that really does mean something," Blackshaw said.
Blackshaw calls the tournament a mix of March Madness, the boys state tournament and the Olympics. But it's not for the stakes — it's for the intensity.
Beyond jerseys and hoodies, the store will also hold a festival when the first puck drops Dec. 26.
"It's kind of a place not just to buy merchandise and get geared up, but to celebrate all that is World Juniors," Blackshaw said.
Organizers say even non-fans may be surprised at what they see.
"Even if you're not a big-time hockey fan, these truly are the future NHL stars, and you really need to experience it," she said.
Organizers hope Minnesota's northern climate and holiday events will help welcome players from around the world, especially if this is their first holiday season away from home.
Alongside the tournament there will also be the Bold North Breakaway Fan Festival, which will run all days of the tournament in Rice Park and inside the RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul. It will be free and open to the public, and will include interactive experiences, bumper cars on ice, displays from the International Hockey Hall of Fame and a hockey moms' market.
