Calgary, Edmonton set to host 2028 World Cup of Hockey
Published 4:05 pm Monday, March 16, 2026
Alberta will host some of the world’s best hockey players for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
The tournament, to be held in February 2028, will feature seven games at Scotia Place in Calgary, with the two semifinal games and the championship game at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Prague, Czechia will be the European host city for the tournament.
Calgary’s new arena, Scotia Place, will open in the 2027-28 season.
The World Cup of Hockey is projected to generate an estimated $375 million in economic impact for Alberta, including supporting over 43,000 jobs and filling nearly 172,000 hotel rooms.
OEG Sports & Entertainment (OEGSE) and Calgary Sports & Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) worked together with the Government of Alberta, Government of Canada, City of Edmonton, City of Calgary, Explore Edmonton and Tourism Calgary on the successful North American bid to host the World Cup of Hockey 2028.
“We’re proud to play a role in bringing the World Cup of Hockey to Alberta and this is a great example of what strong partnerships can accomplish,” said Robert Hayes, President and CEO, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation.
“Our new arena, Scotia Place, was designed for events of this scale, and we’re excited to co-host with Edmonton to deliver an incredible experience for players and fans when the best-on-best tournament arrives in 2028. Alberta is a province that lives and breathes hockey, and this is a chance to showcase that passion on the world stage. Thank you to the Government of Alberta and all our partners who stepped up and delivered a remarkable bid to bring the tournament to Alberta.”
The tournament will feature 17 games played over 13 days, with eight of the best international teams in the world competing. The NHL schedule in the 2027-28 season will pause for 17 days to allow for a runway to the tournament and time for players competing to reintegrate back into their respective teams.
“Nearly 700 Albertans have played in the NHL,” said Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner.
“The province has been home to NHL Drafts and All-Star Games, dozens of Stanley Cup Playoff games, the first NHL regular-season outdoor game and the only Stanley Cup Playoffs contested in a bubble. And the Battle of Alberta is one of the NHL’s fiercest and most storied rivalries. Simply, Alberta is a fitting place to bring together not only the best players in our game, but hockey fans from all over the world. And we are thrilled that Calgary and Edmonton are joining forces to play host to the World Cup of Hockey 2028.”
The tournament will feature two groups of four teams competing in a round-robin format with one pool in Prague and another in Calgary.
The top three teams in each pool will advance into the single-elimination stage.
The first-place finisher will advance to the semifinals. The second and third-place finishers in each pool will play in a single elimination to advance into the semifinals.
This will be the fourth World Cup of Hockey, following tournaments in 1996, 2004 and 2016.
The United States won in 1996 with Canada winning in 2004 and 2016.
The League and Players’ Association also combined efforts to put on the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, the first best-on-best competition since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off, which also featured the United States, Sweden and Finland.