Most ice hockey matches were played in the Olympia-Eisstadion, which featured an indoor arena and an outdoor 400 m oval for speed skating. Apart from this, the Messehalle was also used for several matches. The format in 1964 was unusual and would be repeated in its basic form in 1968-76. Sixteen (16) teams were entered, but were required to play a single-elimination match that seeded teams into either the A pool or B pool. After that the eight A pool teams played a round-robin tournament to contest the medals. The B pool also played a round-robin tournament for places 9-16. The elimination matches were carefully seeded so that all the hockey powers advanced, which resulted in scores such as USSR 19, Hungary 1; Czechoslovakia 17, Japan 2; and Canada 14, Yugoslavia 1.