In February 2028, it’s time for a new edition of the World Cup of Hockey.
The classic tournament gathers the best players from around the world.
Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup of Hockey 2028!
The last World Cup of Hockey was held in 2016. That tournament was unique because the teams were not only made up of individual nations. North America was represented by a U23 team, and Europe had a combined team consisting of players from across the continent, excluding Finland, Sweden, Russia, and Czechia. So what will the 2028 tournament look like? Find out below!
When is the World Cup of Hockey 2028?
In February 2025, during the 4 Nations tournament, the NHL announced its plan to stage the World Cup of Hockey in February 2028. The intention is to hold the tournament every four years starting in 2028, alternating with the Winter Olympics.
The 2028 tournament will run for twelve days and feature 17 games.
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Which countries are participating?
So far, the NHL has not yet announced which countries will participate. However, reports suggest that the 2028 edition will consist only of national teams, unlike in 2016. At the same time, it remains unconfirmed whether Russia will be allowed to take part, due to their war in Ukraine.
Where will the World Cup 2028 be played?
In September 2025, the NHL began selecting host cities for the tournament. Initially, a total of 25 cities in North America and Europe qualified for consideration.
To move the process forward, organizers held workshops in Toronto on September 17–18 and in Zürich on September 22–23 to evaluate potential hosts. Following these evaluations, officials announced on March 16, 2026, that Prague, Czechia, along with Calgary and Edmonton, Canada, will host the World Cup of Hockey 2028.
In terms of game distribution, Calgary and Prague will each host six round-robin games and one elimination game. Meanwhile, Edmonton will host the semifinal games and the gold medal game.
Where can I watch the World Cup of Hockey?
The broadcasting and distribution rights for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey have not yet been announced.
History and past winners
The 2028 edition will be the fourth World Cup of Hockey. The previous tournaments were held in 1996, 2004, and 2016.
Before that, the tournament was known as the Canada Cup, played in 1976, 1981, 1984, 1987, and 1991. Below are the past winners:
Canada Cup 1976: Canada
Canada Cup 1981: Soviet Union
Canada Cup 1984: Canada
Canada Cup 1987: Canada
Canada Cup 1991: Canada
World Cup 1996: USA
World Cup 2004: Canada
World Cup 2016: Canada
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