Edmonton and Red Deer in Alberta have been selected as the host cities for the 2027 world junior hockey championship. The decision to have both cities host the tournament came after previous plans to share the event were derailed by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hockey Canada, along with the Canadian Hockey League and the International Ice Hockey Federation, revealed on Tuesday that the championship will take place from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027. Originally, Edmonton and Red Deer were slated to host the 2021 edition, which ended up being held exclusively at Edmonton’s Rogers Place due to pandemic restrictions prohibiting fan attendance.
Following the cancellation of the 2022 tournament due to the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the competition eventually took place in August at Rogers Place but faced challenges with low turnout. Officials from the International Ice Hockey Federation cited factors such as high ticket prices, the tournament’s unusual timing, and allegations of sexual assault involving members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team as contributing to the attendance issues.
Rogers Place, with a seating capacity of 18,500, will once again serve as the primary venue for the tournament, hosting 17 games, including the semifinals and medal matches. The remaining 14 games will be played at the 7,050-seat Marchant Crane Centrium in Red Deer.
The 1995 tournament marked the debut of the world junior championship in Alberta, with Red Deer, Edmonton, and Calgary co-hosting the event. Additionally, Edmonton and Calgary jointly hosted the championship in 2012.
Looking ahead, Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota are in line to host the 2026 world championship. The United States, as the host nation, will enter the competition as the defending champion following their victory in the 2025 tournament held in Ottawa.