EDMONTON — The world junior hockey championship is returning to Alberta.
Hockey Canada says the province will host the world juniors in 2027. No cities or venues for the tournament have been set.
Alberta last hosted the world juniors in 2022 in Edmonton. Ottawa will host the event next year while the 2026 tournament will take place in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn.
Hockey Canada also announced that Alberta will host this year's world para hockey championship at WinSport Arena in Calgary from May 4-12 and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup at Rogers Place in Edmonton from Aug. 5-10.
Alberta will host the Hlinka Gretzky Cup again in 2026 and some Canada-U. S. women's rivalry series games in 2025 and 2026.
“Hosting international games and tournaments are critical to provide opportunities for our men’s, women’s and para athletes to develop and compete on the world stage, showcase our teams and communities, and inspire the next generation of participants and fans,” Hockey Canada president and chief executive officer Katherine Henderson said in a statement.
The announcement included an $11-million commitment from the Alberta government to host the events throughout the province.
“We are grateful that the Province of Alberta has made this significant investment to enable these events to be played on home ice, which will significantly benefit each of our programs, including our national teams that are preparing for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games,” Henderson said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2024.
The Canadian Press
