The 1989 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Sweden from 15 April – 1 May. The games were played in Södertälje and Stockholm, in the newly built arena Globen. Eight teams took part, and each team played each other once. The four best teams then played each other again. This was the 53rd World Championships, and also the 64th European Championships. The Soviet Union became world champions for the 21st time, and also European champions for the 26th time.

The tournament was marred by positive drug tests. Only the goal totals of the Americans were affected in the end. Their losses against the Czechoslovaks and the Canadians were ruled as shutouts because of Corey Millen's high testosterone levels. Canadian Randy Carlyle also came under suspicion, but his A and B samples did not match, and he was cleared of wrongdoing. The Soviet team won all ten of their games.

At the end of the tournament, Soviet star Alexander Mogilny defected to the United States by getting on a plane with two Buffalo Sabres executives. The Sabres had drafted Mogilny the year before. He joined the team and went on to score 1032 points in his NHL career.

Poland was relegated to Group B.

Played in Oslo and Lillehammer 30 March to 9 April. The 5 April game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test. Standard procedure, since 1969, had been for Group B and Group C to exchange two teams, but that stopped this year.

Norway was promoted to Group A and Denmark was relegated to Group C.

Played in Sydney 18–27 March.

The Netherlands were promoted to Group B, and Australia was relegated to Group D.