NHL expects 2028 World Cup hosts to be announced after Olympics
We might know where the next best-on-best tournament might be held soon.
When speaking to the media at the NHL Board of Governors Meetings in Colorado Springs, deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated that the host sites for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey will be “probably coming” after the 2026 Winter Olympics in February.
NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said they're down to 10 North American cities and six European ones to host the 2028 World Cup. Announcement "probably coming" post-Olympics in February. It will be held in one European city and one North American city, with final in N.A.
Daly mentioned that the World Cup will be held in one European city and one North American city, with the semifinals and championship game taking place in the North American site. He also noted that the NHL is down to 10 North American cities and six European venues for the event, scheduled to take place over two years from now.
The deadline for North American cities to submit an Expression of Interest was July 18 at 6 p.m. ET, while international hopefuls had until July 30 at 6 p.m. ET to give their submissions.
According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson stated that they’d be “excited” to win the bid. The Bell Centre hosted the first four games of the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, before the tournament shifted to Boston for the final two days of the event.
The 2028 World Cup will return to an eight-team format that was familiar with the first three World Cups in 1996, 2004 and 2016. It isn’t yet known which countries will be officially entered into the tournament, as many wonder if Russian players will be allowed to participate.
The return of the World Cup is part of the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s international calendar that is set years in advance. Along with the Winter Games in 2026 and 2030, the league is planning on hosting two World Cups, with another coming in 2032.