Minsk, the capital of Belarus, will host the 2014 IIHF World Championship.

Belarus got 75 votes in the race for hosting the 2014 IIHF World Championship at the Annual Congress of the International Ice Hockey Federation in Bern and beat the other candidates - Hungary (24 votes), Latvia (3) and Ukraine (3).

The budget of the organizing committee is €11.4 million.

Time frame for the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk

The 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship will be held on 9-25 May 2014.

2014 IIHF World Championship Venues

The two main venues for the 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship will be Minsk-Arena (the 15,000-seater inaugurated on 30 January 30, 2009) and Chizhovka-Arena (will be delivered by 2013, the seating capacity around 7,700).

IIHF officials and international ice hockey stars (video) have spoken very highly of Minsk-Arena.

Accommodation for the participants and guests of the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk

Today Minsk hotels can accommodate about 5,000 people. The biggest hotels are the Hotel Europe, Minsk Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotel and Victoria Hotel.

International construction companies have submitted their proposals for building more hotels in Minsk with a combined capacity of 5,000, including four- and five-star hotels accommodating a total of 1,000.

The hotels are scheduled for delivery in late 2013. The construction of a new hotel complex (in Pobediteley Prospekt) is already in progress.

Transport infrastructure of the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk

An additional runway will be built at the Minsk National Airport. All major international motorways crossing Belarus will be made four-lane.

Four new traffic interchanges will be constructed to ease the traffic near the ice arenas, additional metro stations will be built, and the city commuter train service will be introduced.

Visa requirements during the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk

The Belarusian authorities have ruled to make the entry to Belarus during the 2014 IIHF World Championship (a three-week period) visa-free.

Security during the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk

The problem of terrorism in Belarus is nonexistent, and the crime rate is low. Belarusian people are tolerant and hospitable.

In addition, the Belarusian Interior Ministry has jointed efforts with the Emergencies Ministry, the Healthcare Ministry and the Ice Hockey Federation of Belarus and created a system of additional security measures for the IIHF World Championship.

Language issue during the 2014 IIHF World Championship

Not all Minskers speak foreign languages. The Education Ministry in cooperation with youth organizations will recruit volunteers with foreign language skills to help guests and participants of the 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship . The volunteers will be deployed in all public places of the city.

2014 IIHF World Championship Mascot

The mascot of the 2014 IIHF World Championship has not been approved yet.

Belarus Ice Hockey Association has announced an open contest for the mascot. Anyone can pitch in and submit as many mascot designs as he wishes, since the number of proposals from a given individual is unlimited. The winner of the contest will be awarded tickets to the 2014 World Ice Hockey Championship.

The mascot will be officially approved by July 1, 2010.