NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks during a press conference in Calgary on Tuesday.Dayne Patterson/The Canadian Press
Calgary and Edmonton are joining forces in an attempt to bring the World Cup of Hockey to Alberta in 2028.
Valerie Ball, the senior communications manager for Tourism Calgary, confirmed her city’s involvement Wednesday in an e-mail.
“We can confirm Calgary has submitted a bid to host the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, reflecting our city’s passion for the game and proven strength as a host of major international events,” she said.
The City of Edmonton issued a statement later Wednesday confirming its involvement in the bid.
“We are working with our local partners—the Edmonton Oilers and Explore Edmonton in Edmonton, and the Calgary Flames and Calgary Tourism in Calgary—to present the best bid to bring the event to our province and our cities,” the statement read.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was hesitant to lay out details about any potential bids during a media availability Tuesday at Scotiabank Saddledome, although he suggested there was interest.
The World Cup, slated to be played in February 2028, will assemble the world’s top hockey players under their national banners for a best-on-best tournament.
The NHL has said it will happen in locations in North America and Europe, but host cities are undetermined.
When asked Tuesday whether Calgary and Edmonton were putting in a joint bid, Bettman said he was “aware of the bid” but would not provide details including whether it was a joint or independent effort and from whom.
Speaking to reporters on Monday at an unrelated news conference, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said the “prospect of hosting events like this are very exciting,” and that he was “very much in support of a potential bid.”
He said his support would hinge on whether it’s a good business decision.
“If you can show me the value for money, I’ll be the first cheerleader,” he said.
The Alberta government has said it would pitch in up to $15 million to help host the tournament if one of its cities is awarded the bid.
A successful bid would mean breaking in Calgary’s new arena with an international tournament.
The $800-million facility, Scotia Place, is a part of a larger entertainment district expected to be completed in fall 2027. It’s expected to seat about 18,400 people.
The Oilers play at Rogers Place, which has a capacity of 18,347 for hockey. It opened in 2016 at a cost of $613.7 million.