The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship Division I, Group A was hosted in Bled, Slovenia, from 7–13 December 2025. As the official ticketing partner, Ticklio kept the entire fan journey smooth—before, during, and after each game—so attention stayed on the ice, not the lines.

This year’s edition brought together six national teams and a passionate crowd for a full week of junior hockey. With online pre-sales complemented by a staffed box office, simple day passes that covered all three games per day, and fast mobile validation at the gates, the experience felt easy for fans and transparent for organizers from the first click to the final whistle.

Continuity and What Was New

For the second consecutive year, the Ice Hockey Federation of Slovenia entrusted Ticklio with full ticket distribution—including physical sales on site—underscoring the reliability of our operations and support. Building on last year’s performance, we introduced thermal ticketing at the box office. The high-speed printouts paired with streamlined scanning made already quick entries even faster, keeping turnstiles flowing briskly during peak moments. In addition, Ticklio also handled the distribution and validation of complimentary tickets allocated to players, allowing them to invite family members and close friends to the games. These passes were seamlessly integrated into the same validation flow, ensuring that special guests entered the arena just as smoothly as regular spectators—without exceptions, confusion, or added pressure on the gates.

We also launched dedicated scout passes, making accreditation and access straightforward for professional scouts, including those from NHL organizations.

On-Site Flow, Kept Simple

Fans could buy in advance or walk up and purchase on the spot, and the day-pass model meant no juggling multiple tickets to catch all three games. At the entrances, our team used mobile devices for instant QR checks without specialized hardware, while thermal slips made replacements and late purchases painless. Behind the scenes, organizers benefitted from clear oversight of sales and arrivals throughout the week, helping them anticipate peaks and keep queues short.

The Outcome

Across the tournament, nearly 4,000 spectators enjoyed a frictionless experience with short, predictable queues and confident checks at the gates. The combination of mobile validation, day-pass simplicity, and this year’s thermal ticketing upgrade delivered the kind of steady throughput that keeps the arena calm and the focus where it belongs—on the game.

Conclusion

Trusted two years running, Ticklio delivered a calm, fast, and fan-friendly operation for the 2026 Division I, Group A championship in Bled. With light, user-friendly tooling, on-site thermal ticketing, and hands-on support, we helped the federation run an efficient event from first sale to final scan.

Planning a multi-day sports event? Let’s make ticketing and entry the easiest part—contact Ticklio.