Province of Alberta invests $11 million to support men’s, women’s and para hockey events
EDMONTON, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that four marquee international hockey tournaments will be played in the Province of Alberta through 2027, in addition to Rivalry Series games featuring Canada’s National Women’s Team and camps involving Canada’s national men’s, women’s and para hockey programs.
The announcement was made before tonight’s Battle of Alberta between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers and included a commitment of $11 million from the Province of Alberta to host events in communities throughout the province.
“Alberta’s government is thrilled to be hosting these major sporting events,” said The Hon. Joseph Schow, minister of tourism and sport of Alberta. “These events will create excitement around the game of hockey while driving visitors to the province, increasing tourism and bolstering local businesses. These tournaments and events will be an inspiration to young Albertans as they get a chance to learn from and watch the world’s best hockey players.”
The first two tournaments will take place in 2024: the 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 also host Rivalry Series games in 2025 and 2026, the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“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,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “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.”
Ticket packages for the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will go on sale to the public on March 22, while ticket information for the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship will be announced in the coming weeks.
Locations for events being hosted beyond 2024 will be shared at a later date.
To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
