Final week, as documented on NHLRumors.com, the NHL will proceed with the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, however will probably be performed with out the IIHF’s involvement. That was the plan from the start when the NHL and NHLPA introduced they had been bringing again the World Cup of Hockey through the 4 Nations Faceoff.
No one knew what the format could be for the World Cup of Hockey. However one factor was positive: it was not going to be just like the final World Cup of Hockey. There have been going to be eight nations taking part in, not six nations and two makeshift groups. Nonetheless, changes could also be made shifting ahead concerning the groups concerned on this event.
Deputy Commissioner Invoice Daly mentioned on @SiriusXMNHL with @DennisTFP and @TheFourthPeriod {that a} qualifier might be coming for the World Cup of Hockey. It gained’t occur in 2028 https://t.co/PkGSxr0KiS
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) August 26, 2025
Deputy Commissioner Invoice Daly joined Dave Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein of Sirius XM NHL Community through the NHL European Media Tour. Daly was requested in regards to the upcoming World Cup of Hockey, how the bid course of goes, and what the plan is for 2028 and past.
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NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
Dave Pagnotta: “However whereas we’re on the on the topic World Cup, I consider you’ve began to take, or began already to take heads with respect to host cities. Are you able to give us a fast rundown of what the imaginative and prescient is by way of format? Are we going again to the start of World Cup with video games in several cities, after which on each side of the pond, after which the ultimate in a single location? And the way’s that course of going to this point?”
Invoice Daly: “So we’ve really solely had video games, stage video games in Europe, in a single World Cup of Hockey Match that was in 2006 (2004) once we had a European pool. However sure, the intention. There’s a pair variations with this World Cup visavis, our final World Cup, as an illustration, we do envision an invitational event of eight groups. I do suppose we wish to transfer right into a state of affairs the place we create a qualification spherical, however that gained’t be for 2028.
We’ll have a European pool, we’ll play in a single European metropolis, and we’ll have a North American pool taking part in in a North American metropolis. Assume our sense is, proper now, it’s only one North American metropolis that can find yourself internet hosting the semifinals and the ultimate. I believe we’ll have two quarter-final video games right here in Europe. And type of, as you mentioned, we’re accepting expressions of curiosity now, presently for markets in North America and for markets in Europe.
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We’re fairly far alongside in that course of. After which we’ll go into a proper bid course of among the many finalists, and we hope to make bulletins on type of markets and venues someday through the course of this upcoming common season.”
Once more, the important thing level, as documented by NHLRumors.com, is the Russian issue. We all know the 4 Nations Faceoff was an NHL and NHLPA occasion. Nonetheless, it could have been referred to as off if Russia had been in a position to take part, provided that Sweden and Finland didn’t need them there. The identical factor might occur if the political local weather doesn’t change.
There’s a purpose why the IIHF and the IOC have banned Russian athletes from the World Championships and Olympics. Not solely would Sweden and Finland not take part, however different nations, corresponding to Czechia and Slovakia, would additionally bow out. Truthful or not, that’s what is going on. That’s the concern from the NHL in the event that they invite Russia in 2028: if issues don’t change, these hockey nations might not take part.
However that may be a few years down the street. As Daly acknowledged, there might be a European host metropolis and a North American host metropolis, however down the street, extra cities may very well be concerned, just like 1996 and 2004.
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