The World Cup of Hockey 2028 will put the spotlight on the rich tradition of the sport in the Canadian province of Alberta.
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced Monday that Calgary and Edmonton will be the North American host cities for the international best-on-best tournament, with Prague serving as the European host.
“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,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We at the National Hockey League and our partners at the National Hockey League Players’ Association can’t wait to bring the World Cup of Hockey 2028 to three spectacular venues in three cities that shine when staging big events. We know Calgary, Edmonton and Prague will serve as fantastic hosts for hockey fans from all over the globe, and that the greatest hockey players in the world will compete on a level that will make this event truly memorable.”
Scotia Place, the Calgary Flames’ new arena that will open in the 2027-28 season, and at O2 Arena in Prague, will each host six round-robin games and one elimination game.
Scotia Place, the state-of-the-art arena currently under construction, will be home to the NHL’s Calgary Flames, Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen and the American Hockey Leagues’s Calgary Wranglers. The venue will be in the heart of Calgary’s Culture + Entertainment District downtown.
“Hosting the World Cup of Hockey at Scotia Place is an exciting moment for Calgary and for hockey fans across Alberta,” said Robert Hayes, President and CEO, Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation. “As the future home of entertainment in our city, Scotia Place will provide an incredible stage to welcome the world and showcase Calgary’s passion for hockey. We look forward to hosting this best-on-best tournament with Edmonton and are incredibly grateful to the NHL, NHLPA and our partners for the opportunity to bring one of the game’s premier international events to our province.”
The World Cup semifinals and final will be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
“We are thrilled that Edmonton has been selected as a co-host of the World Cup of Hockey 2028 along with our partners in Calgary,” said Stu Ballantyne, President & COO, OEG Sports & Entertainment. “As seen recently with the 4 Nations Face-Off and Winter Olympic Games, there is nothing like best-on-best hockey, and there is no better place than Alberta, the heartland of hockey, to host the world for one of hockey’s biggest events. We would like to thank the NHL and NHLPA for selecting Alberta, and all the other partners who came together to secure this major international event for our province. Fans, get ready for something special.”
The 8-nation tournament will feature 17 games, along with extensive ancillary programming including unique fan events and media days. Dates, the eight competing nations and a full schedule will be announced at a later date.
“The return of the World Cup is an extraordinary event for the entire international hockey community. We greatly appreciate the trust shown by the NHL and NHLPA in deciding that the tournament will be played in the Czech Republic for the first time,” said Tomáš Petera, owner of Perinvest Group, which will organize the event in the Czech Republic. “I see this tournament as an opportunity to confirm our position as one of Europe’s key hubs for hosting major sporting events. We expect strong international interest, high attendance, and a significant economic impact on the Czech Republic.”
This will be the fourth World Cup of Hockey, following tournaments in 1996, 2004 and 2016.
The United States won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Canada won the World Cup 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.
“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,” NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh said. “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.”
The World Cup of Hockey will continue the NHL’s calendar of best-on-best international competitions every two years following the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and preceding the 2030 Winter Olympics in Nice, France.
The United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to capture the gold medal at the Olympics in Milan on Feb. 22.
