As with Canada in 2010, the IIHF made no mention of direct qualification for the host.
[1] To qualify directly, a nation had to be ranked in the top nine following the 2012 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.
To qualify directly, a nation had to be ranked in the top nine following the 2012 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.
21st ranked Great Britain had the option to host group J, but passed on the right to the next highest-ranked nation.
[3] The winners of each group advanced to the final qualification tournaments.