Great Britain’s opponents for next year’s World Championship Division 1 Group A have been confirmed.
Slovenia and Italy have been relegated from the IIHF’s top flight this week and will take their place in tier two of the World Championship structure next season.
The other three teams in the group will be Hungary, Kazakhstan and Poland.
GB secured their place in Division 1 Group A by winning last month’s Division 1 Group B in Belfast.
Britain beat Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, Netherlands and Japan to secure the gold medal with five straight victories.
Hungary have submitted an application to host the six-team tournament in Budapest.
Poland are the only other applicant and if successful would host in either Warsaw or Katowice.
The venue will be decided this week at the IIHF Congress in Cologne, Germany.