Big Six (ice hockey)

In men's international ice hockey, the Big Six is a group comprising the six national teams that have dominated play throughout the history of international ice hockey, especially since the 1950s. It is composed of the North American countries of Canada and the United States and four European countries: Czechia, Finland, Russia, and Sweden. During the Cold War and for two years afterwards, the Soviet Union/CIS and Czechoslovakia held the places of Russia and Czechia, respectively, within the group. The four European members are sometimes referred to as the "European Big Four" or "Big Four", especially to distinguish them from the North American teams.

Out of the 210 Ice Hockey World Championships medals awarded by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), 187 have been won by the Big Six teams. Since 1953, only eight medals have been won by teams outside the Big Six (four by Slovakia, two by Switzerland, and one each by Germany and Latvia). Of the 75 Olympic ice hockey medals awarded, 67 have been won by a Big Six team.

Despite the big medal haul between the 6 teams, being a member of the Big Six does not automatically guarantee success. As of August 2023, the United States' last appearance in an international final was the 2010 Winter Olympics, after which point Switzerland and Germany have reached two finals each.