Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta have been selected as the hosts for the 2027 world junior hockey championship following changes to initial plans due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was made by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League, and the International Ice Hockey Federation, setting the tournament dates from December 26, 2026, to January 5, 2027.
Initially, Edmonton and Red Deer were designated as hosts for the 2021 championship, but pandemic restrictions led to all games being centralized at Edmonton’s Rogers Place without spectators. Subsequently, the 2022 tournament was also awarded to these cities but had to be canceled due to the emergence of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. The tournament was rescheduled for August at Rogers Place, but faced challenges with low attendance attributed to high ticket prices, unorthodox timing, and allegations of sexual misconduct involving members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team.
The primary venue for the upcoming championship will once again be the 18,500-seat Rogers Place, hosting 17 games, including the semifinals and medal matches. The remaining 14 games will take place at the 7,050-seat Marchant Crane Centrium in Red Deer. Notably, Red Deer, Edmonton, and Calgary jointly hosted the tournament in 1995 when it debuted in Alberta, with Edmonton and Calgary co-hosting again in 2012.
Looking ahead, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, are slated to host the 2026 world championship. The United States will enter the tournament as the defending champion following their victory in the 2025 event in Ottawa.