World Cup of Hockey facts for kids
Logo of 2016 event
|
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 |
| Inaugural season | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Most recent champion(s) |
.svg){kind=small} Canada (2nd title)(2016) |
The World Cup of Hockey is a big international ice hockey tournament. It brings together the best hockey players from different countries. The first World Cup of Hockey was held in 1996.
This tournament took over from an older event called the Canada Cup. The Canada Cup ran from 1976 to 1991. It was special because it was the first time top professional players could play for their home countries.
The World Cup of Hockey has happened three times so far. The United States won in 1996. Canada won in 2004 and 2016. After 2016, people weren't sure if the tournament would continue. The 2020 event was canceled. However, new plans mean it is expected to return in 2028. After that, it should happen every four years.
The National Hockey League (NHL) and its players' association (NHLPA) organize this event. This is different from the yearly Ice Hockey World Championships. It is also different from the Olympic tournament. Those events are run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). World Cup games use NHL rules. The tournament happens before the NHL season starts. This means all NHL players can join. The World Championships happen when NHL players are busy with the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Contents
History of the Tournament
The Canada Cup Era
The World Cup of Hockey has a rich history. It started with the Canada Cup. This tournament began in 1976. It was created by Doug Fisher and Alan Eagleson. They wanted a tournament like soccer's FIFA World Cup. This new event would feature the best hockey nations.
Eagleson worked with hockey officials from the Soviet Union. He arranged the first Canada Cup. It was the first time top professional players could compete. Before this, the Winter Olympics were for amateur players. The yearly Ice Hockey World Championships happened during the Stanley Cup playoffs. This meant many top players could not join.
The Canada Cup tournaments happened every three to five years. They were played in North America. This was before the National Hockey League (NHL) season began. Six teams competed in each tournament. Canada won four of the five Canada Cups. The Soviet Union won one in 1981.
The World Cup of Hockey Begins
In 1996, the Canada Cup was officially replaced. The new tournament was called the World Cup of Hockey. The old Canada Cup trophy was retired. The tournament grew to include eight teams. The "Big Six" hockey nations were there. These were Canada, the United States, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, and Sweden. Germany and Slovakia also joined. The United States won the first World Cup. They beat Canada in the finals of that event.
Eight years later, the second World Cup happened in 2004. This was just before the 2004–05 NHL lockout. Canada won its first World Cup title. They defeated the Czech Republic in the semifinals. Then, they beat Finland in the final game.
On January 24, 2015, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. It was held in September 2016. The games took place at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The 2016 tournament had a slightly new setup. Besides the "Big Six" countries, there were two special teams. These were Team Europe and an under-23 Team North America. Canada won the championship again. They defeated Team Europe in the finals.
A 2020 tournament was planned. It would have included a European qualification round. But in January 2019, these plans were stopped. This was because of talks about the agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association. In August 2019, there were reports of a World Cup in February 2021. This would happen if the agreement was extended. However, the NHL later decided against it that year.
In February 2024, the NHL shared new plans. They announced the next World Cup for 2028. After that, it would happen every four years. The NHL also hosted the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025. This event took the place of a World Cup. On February 12, 2025, the NHL confirmed the tournament would return in February 2028. This also meant NHL players would go to the 2030 Winter Olympics. The Olympics and World Cup will happen every two years. This rotation starts with the 2026 Winter Olympics. The league and NHLPA will invite the teams.
The World Cup Trophy
In 2004, a new trophy was designed. It was created by the famous architect Frank Gehry. The trophy is made from a mix of copper and nickel. It also uses solid cast urethane plastic. Some people in the sports world didn't like the trophy's look. The Toronto Sun newspaper even had a headline asking, "What is that?"
Tournament Results
| Year | Final host | Champion | Final score(s) | Runner-up | Semifinalists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 |  Philadelphia (game 1) Montreal (games 2, 3) |
 United States |
3–4 (OT), 5–2, 5–2 | Canada |
 Russia,  Sweden |
| 2004 | Toronto |
Canada |
3–2 |  Finland |
 Czech Republic, United States |
| 2016 | Toronto |
Canada |
3–1, 2–1 | Europe | Russia, Sweden |
| 2028 |
Titles Won by Teams
| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Semifinals | Total (top 4) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada |
2 (2004, 2016) | 1 (1996) | — | 3 |
| United States |
1 (1996) | — | 1 (2004) | 2 |
| Finland |
— | 1 (2004) | — | 1 |
| Europe | — | 1 (2016) | — | 1 |
| Sweden |
— | — | 2 (1996, 2016) | 2 |
| Russia |
— | — | 2 (1996, 2016) | 2 |
| Czech Republic |
— | — | 1 (2004) | 1 |
See also
In Spanish: Copa Mundial de Hockey sobre Hielo para niños
- List of international ice hockey competitions featuring NHL players
- 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
- Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
- World Baseball Classic (an international tournament organized by MLB and MLBPA)
