North American ice hockey’s elite NHL, and its labor union for players, the NHLPA, have launched the search process for the host city for the next edition of its World Cup of Hockey competition, which will next take place in 2028.
Cities across both North America and Europe have been invited to submit proposals to host to event, with a deadline of July 18 for those in North America and July 30 for those outside the continent.
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The final selection of host cities will occur in the first quarter of the 2026 calendar year, with any venue capable of meeting NHL competition standards eligible for consideration.
Additionally, the league will meet with select cities proactively, with others not contacted still able to submit bids.
Speaking on the announcement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated: “This tournament offers cities a chance to be part of something truly global, while delivering meaningful economic and cultural benefits in return.”
Playfly Sports, the global sports and media agency, has been chosen to run the selection process.
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By GlobalDataThe competition has only been played three times since it succeeded the Canada Cup, with the US beating Canada in the final of the inaugural edition in 1996, and Canada triumphing over Finland in the second in 2004.
The 1996 World Cup was split across Philadelphia, US, and Montreal, Canada, while the Canadian city of Toronto staged the 2004 and 2016 editions.
Earlier in 2025, the NHL, which jointly organizes the event alongside the NHLPA, announced that the tournament would return in February 2028.
Attempts to stage the tournament in 2020 and 2021 were thwarted by labor issues between the NHL and the NHLPA.
A mooted 2022 edition was then shelved due to a clash with the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. A decision was subsequently made by the NHL and International Olympic Committee not to release players for the flagship event due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Then in 2022, the NHL and NHLPA again shelved plans to stage the tournament in 2024.
While the pair did not give a reason for the move at the time, sports outlet ESPN said it was taken due to issues created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with questions over whether players from Russia should be allowed to participate.
The return of the World Cup does not involve the international governing body, the IIHF, which means only NHL players can compete, and federations will not be allowed to include players competing in European leagues.
Additionally, the competition will also use NHL-sized rinks, rules, and officials rather than international regulations.
The flood of international competitions is part of the NHL’s wider internationalization efforts, starting with the return of its Global Series in 2022 and the Olympics next year, while the World Cup is the latest addition to future schedules.
NHL players have not participated in the Olympics since 2014 but are set to return in 2026 and 2030 for the Winter games in an agreement negotiated and announced during the 2023-24 season.
There is an appetite for national team ice hockey action in the US, as exemplified by the 4 Nations Face-Off mini tournament staged earlier in 2025, which smashed the NHL’s regular season viewership.
