Courtesy of their triumphs in both 2015 and 2016, the nation has five titles overall at the annual Championships, which first began in 2008.

A third straight title would see the United States move further clear of Canada as the record winners of the tournament, with their rivals having won four to date.

The two nations have been the only winners of the tournament to date and have met in all nine finals.

Both countries will feature in Group A, which features the best four teams as last year’s event in St Catharines, Canada.

They will be joined by Sweden and Russia, who will look to secure places in the semi-final stage of the Championships by finishing in the top two spots in the group.

The bottom two nations will move into the quarter-finals, where they will take on the best two finishers in Group B.

Hosts the Czech Republic will feature in this group, along with Finland, Japan and Switzerland.

The third and fourth place teams will be required to play a best of three series after the group stage, with the loser suffering relegation.

It is the second time the Czech Republic have hosted the Championships, which is now in its 10^th edition.

The European nation held the event five years ago, again in Zlín and Přerov, with Canada emerging as the winners of the event.

Action will begin with the United States taking on Russia in Group A, before Canada meet last year’s third place nation, Sweden.

Japan take on the host nation in the first Group B tie, while Finland face Switzerland.