Edmonton and another Alberta city picked to host 2027 World Juniors
The World Juniors are coming back to Alberta.
On Tuesday, Hockey Canada and the IIHF announced that the 2027 edition of the annual U20 World Championship will be heading to Edmonton and Red Deer.
“Alberta is ready to welcome visitors from around the world for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship,” said Andrew Boitchenko, minister of tourism and sport for Alberta. “This event celebrates the spirit of international competition and our province’s passion for hockey, while showcasing Alberta as a world-class destination for sporting events.”
The games will be split between the two cities from Dec. 26, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027. Of the games played, 17 will be at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, including both semifinals and the gold medal game, while Red Deer’s Marchant Crane Centrium will host the remaining 14 games.
The two cities hosted the tournament in 2022, although it was mostly memorable for all the wrong reasons. The first attempt at the tournament was cancelled midway through due to a COVID-19 outbreak, while the second version was rescheduled for the summer and dealt with major attendance issues.
Edmonton also hosted the 2021 edition of the event, without any fans in attendance, while co-hosting with Calgary in 2012. Red Deer, meanwhile, also hosted the tournament in 1995.
“We are beyond excited for our fans, partners and community to once again welcome the hockey world to Red Deer,” said Merrick Sutter, senior vice-president of the Red Deer Rebels. “This is a community that loves events, and we know their passion will be on full display once again next December.”
Pre-tournament games for the 2027 World Juniors are expected to take place throughout Alberta.
A full schedule and ticketing info will be released at a later date, with the full field set after the conclusion of the 2026 World Juniors in Minneapolis–Saint Paul.