The World Cup of Hockey will be held in Canada and Czechia in 2028.
Edmonton’s Rogers Place, Calgary’s under-construction Scotia Place and the O2 Arena in Prague will host the best-on-best competition, the NHL and NHLPA said in statements Monday.
“There is no international competition in sports that matches the passion, skill, and excitement of hockey’s best-on-best coming together to represent their countries — last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off and the recent Winter Olympics were just the latest examples,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith speaks during the announcement of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey being hosted in Alberta, in Edmonton on Monday, March 16, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Calgary and Prague will each host seven games — six round-robin and one elimination game in each market — while two semifinal games and the championship final will be held in Edmonton in February 2028.
A joint media availability was scheduled for Monday afternoon at Rogers Place.
“Coming off the amazing international hockey played at the recent Olympic Winter Games, NHL players are very excited to return to international hockey at the World Cup of Hockey 2028,” said NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh. “Calgary, Edmonton and Prague are cities with very deep roots in hockey, and the games will be played in three hockey venues that will be amongst the best in the world.
“The players cannot wait to don their home country’s sweaters in Alberta and Prague in February 2028.”
Team Canada’s Brad Marchand (63) celebrates his game-winning goal against Team Europe with teammates during the World Cup of Hockey final in Toronto on Sept. 29, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
The event is being brought back for the first time since 2016 as part of a plan to have an international competition with the NHL’s top players every even-numbered year, either the World Cup or the Olympics.
NHL players returned to the Olympic stage in Milan last month after a 12-year absence.
The United States beat Canada in overtime in a memorable gold-medal game that put the sport in the spotlight beyond just the hockey community.
The expression of interest phase for the World Cup’s host cities and venues began last June, the league said.
The NHL and NHLPA launched a formal request for proposal phase for the 28 cities across North America and Europe in the running to host the tournament.
“Alberta is the right choice to host the World Cup of Hockey,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. “This bid was earned; few places in the world live and breathe hockey the way Alberta does.”
Edmonton, along with Toronto, was one of the sites of the pandemic “bubbles” used to hold the NHL playoffs in 2020. The Flames are scheduled to move into Scotia Place for the start of the 2027-28 season.
Prague has hosted three IIHF world hockey championships since 2004, and the O2 Arena has hosted nine NHL regular-season games.
The World Cup of Hockey made its debut in 1996. It was also played in 2004, with labour strife among the reasons it has not been staged regularly.
Team Canada goalie Curtis Joseph, right, watches the puck sail past the post as Team USA’s Brett Hull, left, watches in the first period of the championship round of the World Cup of Hockey in Philadelphia on Sept. 10, 1996. (AP Photo/ Rusty Kennedy)
Participating nations, schedule, ticket information and other tournament details will be announced at a later date.
With files from The Associated Press.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16, 2026.
