The World Cup of Hockey returns in 2028
The NHL and NHLPA have launched the host city selection process for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, officially marking the return of the most important international tournament. The 2028 Ice Hockey World Cup will be an eight-nation tournament scheduled for February 2028. Unlike the last World Cup in 2016, which included the North American U-23 team and the Team Europe for unaffiliated international players, this edition will only feature specific teams from each nation. It is expected that the event will include round-robin and quarterfinal games in two host cities, with the semifinals and championship game anticipated to be held in one of those cities, “subject to the final selection of the host city,” according to the NHL. The tournament is expected to last 12 days with 17 games.The host city selection process is international in scope and “is open to all cities with arena facilities that can meet NHL competition standards.” The NHL and NHLPA will contact some potential sites, but the process is open to any bidder. The NHL is looking for cities that meet the basic requirements for facilities, but that also “present a compelling and distinctive vision for the tournament.” The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is July 18 for North America and July 30 for international markets. The NHL and NHLPA will determine which bids move to the next phase. The Request for Proposals process launches in August 2025. Final host city selections are expected to be announced in the first quarter of 2026.The Ice Hockey World Cup is a showcase of international hockey at the highest level, and we are delighted to begin the host city selection process for 2028. This tournament offers cities the opportunity to be part of something truly global, while also offering significant economic and cultural benefits in return.
Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner
This will be the fourth edition of the World Cup of Hockey, which was previously held in 1996, 2004 and 2016, which was won by the Canada team. The return of the World Cup is part of an aggressive expansion of the NHL’s international calendar. Bettman has said that the vision is to alternate between NHL participation in the men’s hockey tournament of the Winter Olympics and a World Cup every two years. The NHL will participate in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, the first time its players will compete in the Olympics since the Sochi 2014 Games. In the intervening years, the NHL and NHLPA are expected to present events that could resemble the 4 Nations Face-Off, their successful mid-season tournament held last February in Boston and Montreal.The 2028 Ice Hockey World Cup will bring together the best players in the world, representing their countries with pride. We look forward to working with the cities that want to help shape the future of international hockey and inspire a new generation of hockey fans.
Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director
There are some issues to be resolved regarding the 2028 Ice Hockey World Cup, including how teams will qualify and whether Russia will be allowed to participate. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has been banned from international competition in all age categories by the International Ice Hockey Federation, a ban that has been extended until 2025-26.We couldn’t be more excited to make it a reality: Olympic Games, World Cups, Olympic Games, World Cups on a regular schedule of the best hockey players in the world representing their countries. We know that the complete World Cup is going to be sensational.
Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner
The World Cup of Hockey will not involve the IIHF. The NHL is expected to be able to work with international leagues to complete the rosters of teams that do not have a full complement of NHL players. For example, there are only three Slovak defensemen and one Swiss goaltender who appeared in NHL games last season.I would love to see our Russian players playing in these tournaments again. They are incredible hockey players. The problems are political. Not political as far as the NHLPA is concerned; it’s world politics that we have to go through. I hope that as we get closer to the Olympics, the World Cup, we start to see Russian athletes back in competition.
Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director
