Finland are ready to defend their world title ©Getty Images

Finland are set to defend their title at the men's International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship, which starts tomorrow in Latvian capital Riga.

At the 2019 World Championship, Finland defeated Canada 3-1 in the final to claim their third world title, and the finalists are set to face off in the final round of the group stage, with both in Group B.

Canada are set to play hosts Latvia on the opening day, while Finland are due to start their campaign against the United States on Saturday (May 22).

The World Championship is scheduled to reach its climax on June 6.

Also in Group B are Germany, Norway, Italy and Kazakhstan.

No teams will be relegated from the top tier of the World Championship, as it is the only division that is playing in 2021 due to issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has already hit the tournament hard, with the Italian team heading into the competition noticeably depleted as goaltender Andreas Barnard and forwards Tommaso Traversa, Michele Marchetti and Matthias Mantinger have all been ruled out for the whole tournament.

Other players who have tested positive for COVID-19 but may yet be able to join the roster during the event include goalkeeper Jake Smith, defenders Thomas Larkin, Enrico Miglioranzi and Alex Trivellato and forward Markus Gander.

Head coach Greg Ireland is also currently self-isolating.

Tommaso Traversa is among the Italian players who will miss the World Championship due to COVID-19 ©Getty Images
Tommaso Traversa is among the Italian players who will miss the World Championship due to COVID-19 ©Getty Images

Riku-Petteri Lehtonen, one of the assistants on the Canadian team, has also tested positive for coronavirus.

Group A will feature the ROC team - competing under a neutral flag due to sanctions placed on Russia by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

This also means the national anthem is banned, but the IIHF approved a request from ROC to play part of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 instead.

As Russia won the bronze medal in 2019, defeating the Czech Republic in the third-place playoff. 

The Czechs are also in Group A alongside Sweden, Switzerland, Belarus, Denmark, Slovakia, Britain and ROC.

The ROC and the Czech Republic are set for a rematch on the opening day, while 2019 hosts Slovakia are to play Belarus.

Belarus had been due to co-host the tournament along with Latvia, but was stripped of the distinction by the IIHF following a protracted evaluation process.

The top four teams in each round-robin group will progress to the quarter-finals.