The Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers have been chosen as the two finalists for hosting the 2027 Memorial Cup.

The Canadian Hockey League made the announcement this morning.

Kingston and Niagara had also been in the running.

The Memorial Cup is a 10-day event bringing together the playoff champions of the WHL, OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host club, in a four-team round-robin tournament to crown the CHL champion.

Kitchener has hosted the tournament four times (1962, 1975, 1984, 2008). Guelph hosted once, in 2002.

The finalists were determined by the 2027 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, an independent panel of five individuals with extensive experience across the sports landscape. This committee will also be responsible for selecting the winning bid.

“In the coming weeks, both organizations will be invited to submit formal written bids, which will be evaluated across four categories: Business operations, community engagement and atmosphere, event logistics, and hockey operations. The winning host will then be determined through a comprehensive process that also includes formal presentations and site visits, with a final decision expected between late November and early December 2025,” the CHL said in a news release.

“The Memorial Cup is the toughest trophy to win in amateur sport, and few markets reflect the history and passion for junior hockey more than Guelph and Kitchener,” said CHL president Dan MacKenzie. “Both communities are defined by devoted fan bases and a deep-rooted tradition in our game, and each has played an important role in shaping junior hockey’s history. The Memorial Cup continues to be a celebration of hockey excellence, community spirit, and national pride, and we are confident that either city would provide a fitting and exceptional stage for the 2027 tournament.”

“We’re thrilled to be one of the final two teams in the running to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada,” shared Matt Newby, vice-president of business operations for the Storm. “The opportunity to welcome hockey fans from across North America to Guelph, with the Memorial Cup as the centrepiece of a celebration of hockey and our city’s bicentennial, would be an incredible honour for our community.”

The 2026 Memorial Cup is in Kelowna, BC.