Calgary and Prague to Host 2028 World Cup of Hockey Games
North America and Europe will share hosting duties for the return of the World Cup of Hockey in 2028, with Calgary, Canada, and Prague, Czech Republic, selected as host cities alongside Edmonton, Canada. The announcement was made by the National Hockey League (NHL) on March 3, 2026.
Host City Breakdown
Calgary’s newly constructed Scotia Place, home to the Calgary Flames starting in 2027, and Edmonton’s Rogers Place will serve as the North American venues. Prague’s O2 Arena will represent Europe.
Calgary and Prague will each host seven games, with six round-robin matchups and one knockout game. Edmonton will host both semi-final games and the tournament final.
Return of International Competition
The return of the World Cup of Hockey is part of the NHL’s strategy to establish a regular cycle of international ice hockey competitions featuring top players. This plan alternates with NHL player participation in the Winter Olympics every two years. During these tournaments, the NHL season will pause to allow player participation.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman highlighted the excitement surrounding the return of best-on-best international competition, citing the success of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and the recent Winter Olympics as examples.
History and Recent Challenges
International ice hockey competitions involving NHL players were common in the 1990s and 2000s but diminished after the NHL stopped sending players to the Winter Olympics following the 2014 edition and the last World Cup of Hockey in 2016. Attempts to stage the tournament in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024 were all unsuccessful.
Previous obstacles included labor disputes between the NHL and the NHLPA, scheduling conflicts with the Winter Olympics, and, more recently, concerns related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the potential participation of Russian players. The IIHF banned Russia from international play in all age categories, a ban extended through 2025-26 due to security concerns.
Tournament Format and Rules
The World Cup of Hockey will feature only NHL players, excluding those competing in European leagues. The tournament will adhere to NHL rules, rink size, and officiating standards, differing from international regulations.
The competition has been held three times since succeeding the Canada Cup, with the United States winning the inaugural edition in 1996 and Canada triumphing in 2004.
Scotia Place Details
Scotia Place, currently under construction in Calgary, is slated to open in fall 2027. The arena is designed to be a community hub and a landmark attraction in Calgary’s emerging Culture + Entertainment District. Construction began on July 22, 2024, with a total project cost of $1.223 billion.