Moncton, Québec named finalists to host 2028 Memorial Cup
Two of the top markets on the Eastern seaboard are in the running to hold one of the biggest tournaments in hockey.
On Monday, the Canadian Hockey League announced that Moncton, N.B. and Quebec City are the finalists to host the 2028 Memorial Cup.
The two cities, selected by the 2028 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, are going to battle it out to see who will host the event that determines the best junior hockey team in North America, as 2028 marks the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s turn in the rotation, as it shares hosting duties with the Western Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League.
“The Memorial Cup holds a special place in our game because of the players, fans, volunteers, and communities who bring it to life each year,” Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL, said in a release. “Moncton and Québec are two proud hockey markets with deep connections to this championship, passionate fan bases, strong organizational leadership, and a clear understanding of what it takes to host an event of this calibre. We are confident either city would provide an exceptional stage for the 2028 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota, and we thank all of the QMJHL clubs that expressed interest in being part of this process.”
Both cities have hosted the Memorial Cup in the past. Moncton held the tournament in 2006, with the Wildcats advancing to the championship game, where they lost to, you guessed it, the Quebec Remparts. The Wildcats have since been to the Memorial Cup twice, last doing so in 2025, where they lost to the eventual champion London Knights in the semifinal.
Quebec City has hosted or co-hosted the Memorial Cup four times, last doing so in 2015. The Remparts are the last QMJHL team to win the event, beating the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2023. The Remparts have won the Memorial Cup three times, twice since the tournament expanded to three teams in 1972.
The Remparts have arguably one of the nicest buildings in North America, let alone in junior hockey. Centre Videotron, the team’s home since it opened in 2015, has a capacity of 18,259 and has hosted some big games over the years. Along with a pre-tournament game ahead of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the venue will co-host the 2026 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, as well as the 2027 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
The Avenir Centre, opened in 2018, is quite smaller than Videotron, holding, at most, 8,800. However, it has also been the site of some big-time hockey, hosting the 2019 Canada/Russia Series and the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Before the Memorial Cup returns to a ‘Q’ site, the tournament will be hosted by the OHL’s Guelph Storm next year.