NHL, NHLPA Launch Host City Selection Process for 2028 World Cup of Hockey

The National Hockey League and NHL Players Association have launched a host city selection process for the 2028 World Cup of Hockey with the goal of finding two host cities between North America, Europe and other international markets.

The deadline for expressions of interest is July 18, 2025 at 6 p.m. ET for North American cities and July 30 at 6 p.m. ET for international cities. Interested cities will receive EOI materials outlining the tournament scope, a high-level overview of hosting expectations and a questionnaire to be completed detailing arena and host city criteria.

Select cities will be invited to participate in a formal RFP process launching in August. The host city selection process will be administered by Playfly Sports at WCH2028@playfly.com. Final host city selections are expected to be announced in early 2026. The NHL and NHLPA will proactively reach out to select cities, but any city is welcome to initiate contact and express its interest in hosting.

“The World Cup of Hockey is a showcase of international hockey at the highest level, and we are thrilled to begin the host city selection process for 2028,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “This tournament offers cities a chance to be part of something truly global, while delivering meaningful economic and cultural benefits in return.”

Scheduled for February 2028, the World Cup of Hockey is an 8-nation tournament and expected to feature round-robin and quarterfinal games in two host cities, with the semifinals and championship game anticipated to take place in one of those cities. The tournament is expected to be 12 days and include 17 games, along with extensive ancillary programming such as public viewing events.

This edition of the tournament marks the fourth World Cup of Hockey in history, following 1996, 2004, and 2016. It also builds on the momentum of 4 Nations Face-Off that was co-hosted by Montreal and Boston this past year.

“The World Cup of Hockey 2028 will bring together the best players in the world, representing their countries with pride,” said Marty Walsh, executive director of the NHLPA. “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.”