NHL and NHLPA Launch Host City Selection Process for World Cup of Hockey 2028
On Thursday, the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association officially announced the launch of the selection process to find the host city for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
The tournament, in less than three years’ time, will return to the eight-team format that fans were accustomed to seeing years ago, though the league has yet to announce exactly which countries will be participating. The NHL and NHLPA are welcoming any city from North America and other international markets to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), to make their claim on why they should host what’s expected to finally become a semi-annual event.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says the point of the selection process is to make the World Cup a true worldwide event.
“The World Cup of Hockey is a showcase of international hockey at the highest level,” Bettman said in a release. “We are thrilled to begin the host city selection process for 2028. This tournament offers cities a chance to be part of something truly global, while delivering meaningful economic and cultural benefits in return.”
The deadline for North American cities to submit an EOI is July 18 at 6 p.m. ET, while international hopefuls have until July 30 at 6 p.m. ET to give their submissions.
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh says the return of the World Cup isn’t just to see a true best-on-best tournament, but also to give the next wave of talent something to look forward to.
“The World Cup of Hockey 2028 will bring together the best players in the world, representing their countries with pride,” Walsh said. “We look forward to working with cities that want to help shape the future of international hockey and inspire a new generation of hockey fans.”
The NHL and NHLPA revealed back in February their international calendar for the next several years, with the plans to return to the Winter Olympics in 2026 in Italy and in 2030 in France. Additionally, they made the long-awaited announcement to bring back the World Cup, an event that hasn’t been held since 2016. As of now, the entities are planning to host the tournament in both 2028 and 2032.
The eventual return of the World Cup rides on the heels of what was a successful and memorable 4 Nations Face-Off last February, where Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden put on a show, putting hockey in the limelight among all sports fans. Canada beat the U.S. in overtime in a thrilling championship game.