NHL to Announce World Cup Of Hockey Plans Monday as Alberta Bid Appears Successful
The NHL is expected to announce its world cup of hockey plans on the first day of the NHL GM meetings Monday in Florida, while a federal funding announcement suggests the tournament may be headed to Alberta for the February 2028 event.
NHL Set To Detail February 2028 Tournament At GM Meetings
TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said the league intends to unveil its World Cup plans on Day 1 of the NHL general manager meetings in Palm Beach, Florida. The event is scheduled for February 2028 and will be the fourth edition of the eight-team, best-on-best tournament; previous editions took place in 1996, 2004 and 2014.
The announcement follows recent international competitions that the league has highlighted as successful lead-ups to the tournament, including last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympic tournament at Milano Cortina 2026. Canada won gold in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the United States defeated Canada for gold in Milan.
World Cup Of Hockey Bid Appears Headed to Alberta
A federal news release said a bid to bring the World Cup Of Hockey to Alberta has been “successful” and noted up to $8 million in federal funding through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) to support community-based experiences tied to the event. The release said the investment is intended to bring excitement beyond the arena and attract economic activity to Alberta as the province hosts the 2028 tournament.
The release said Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and minister responsible for PrairiesCan, will join partners Monday to celebrate and announce the successful bid that brings the 2028 World Cup Of Hockey to Alberta. The release did not name which Alberta cities would be involved.
Tourism Calgary communications manager Valeria Ball confirmed that Calgary submitted a bid earlier this month. The release also noted that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman visited Calgary on March 3 with NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Calgary Flames ownership. If Calgary is selected, the city’s new event centre — expected to open in the fall of 2027 — would be where the tournament would be played.
Next Steps And What To Watch This Week
The immediate focus is on the GM meetings, where the league is expected to make its plans public after Day 1. Separately, federal representatives and local partners are scheduled to mark the successful Alberta bid Monday, with additional details on hosting locations and local plans expected to follow from those celebrations and league communications.
At this stage, the confirmed elements are the league’s plan to announce tournament details at the GM meetings and the federal funding commitment tied to an Alberta bid for the February 2028 World Cup. Further specifics on host cities, venue confirmations and the official selection process were not included in the available statements and will be clarified in the coming announcements.
