NHL and NHLPA announce plans to hold a World Cup of Hockey in 2028

MONTREAL — The World Cup of Hockey is returning three years from now.

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association unveiled plans Tuesday to host a tournament in early 2028, aiming for February. The goal is to have an international tournament every other year, with players going to the Olympics in 2026 and ’30.

The announcement came at the 4 Nations Face-Off that was pared down and pushed back from initial planning because of questions over Russia’s participation given the country’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

Details are limited about the 2028 World Cup, including how many teams will participate, the format and location of games. Commissioner Gary Bettman said there will be at least eight teams and that the league will be asking cities for bids on hosting games.

The league and union are going ahead with the tournament without the International Ice Hockey Federation, with Bettman saying “this is an all NHL” event.