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A decision will be made “soon” on who will host one of hockey’s biggest showdowns.
“We’re closer to the end than the beginning [of the selection process],” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters Tuesday.
Bettman was participating in a media availability in Calgary, a city which submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey alongside Edmonton.
“It was a good bid,” Bettman said. “I’m not prepared to tell you today that it was or was not the winning bid, but certainly it’s a bid that people could be very proud of.”
Bettman didn’t confirm what other locations were being considered, or what specific criteria the NHL was looking for.
He said the decision would be finalized and announced in a “couple of weeks or so.”
The World Cup of Hockey, a tournament bringing together teams from across the globe, has happened only three times before: in 1996, 2004 and 2016.
Among the reasons Bettman came to Calgary was to see the progress of Scotia Place, the city’s new event centre, scheduled to open in fall 2027. He called it “a first-class, state-of-the-art arena,” while also calling Edmonton’s Rogers Place a “great” venue as well.
“I think [Calgary] has always been a great place to come,” Bettman said. “You know, ask the millions of tourists that come here every year. Ask the millions of people that come to the Stampede.”
Bid backed by Smith, Farkas
The Calgary-Edmonton bid was backed financially by the provincial government, according to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
“I believe we pledged $15 million to assist with the bid,” she said at an unrelated media availability Monday.
The province hasn’t yet entered any formal funding agreements, but Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko wrote in a statement that “Alberta’s government has committed to supporting its partners on a bid to host this event, given the massive potential economic impact.”
“Budget 2026 provides over $20 million over the next three years to help attract major sporting events, ensuring Alberta continues to be a premier sport tourism destination,” Boitchenko said.
“We are excited to see which major event opportunities choose Alberta as their host, driving visitors — and their dollars — into our beautiful province.”
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas also said he’s on board to host the championship, pointing to the economic impact of the game itself as well as the potential for it to attract other major events to the city.
“Calgary’s at its best when we’re hosting the world,” he said, adding that he would be accompanying Bettman to Tuesday night’s Calgary Flames game.
The federal government wrote in a statement that it “is aware of this bid” and “is enthusiastic” about the prospect of Alberta hosting the tournament.
“The Government of Canada will prioritize maximizing economic benefit for Canada and Alberta from visitors and fans during the event, along with ensuring lasting host community impact from any potential investments if the bid is successful,” a federal spokesperson said.
The federal government says the World Cup of Hockey would not qualify for support from Sport Canada’s major international event hosting program because it is a professional sporting event.
