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 started in 1996. This tournament took over from the Canada Cup. The Canada Cup was held every 3 to 5 years from 1976 to 1991. It was the first time top hockey players from different countries could play together.
The World Cup of Hockey has happened three times so far. The United States won in 1996. Canada won in 2004 and 2016. After the 2016 tournament, people weren't sure if it would continue. The 2020 tournament was canceled. Now, it's planned to happen in 2028 and every four years after that.
The National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) organize this event. Other big tournaments, like the annual Ice Hockey World Championships and the Olympic tournament, are run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). World Cup games follow NHL rules, not IIHF rules. The tournament happens before the NHL season starts. This means all the best NHL players can join. The World Championships happen at the same time as the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs, so many top players can't go.
Contents
History of the Tournament
The Canada Cup Era
The World Cup of Hockey came after the Canada Cup. The Canada Cup started in 1976. It was a joint effort by Doug Fisher from Hockey Canada and Alan Eagleson from the NHL Players' Association. Eagleson was inspired by soccer's FIFA World Cup. He wanted a new tournament for all the best hockey nations.
After talking with hockey officials from the Soviet Union in 1974, Eagleson set up the Canada Cup. It first took place in 1976. This was the first international ice hockey tournament where countries could send their best players. The Winter Olympics only allowed amateur players back then. Also, the yearly Ice Hockey World Championships happened during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
These tournaments were held every three to five years. They took place in North America before the National Hockey League (NHL) regular season began. Six teams played in each tournament. Canada won four of the five Canada Cup tournaments. The Soviet Union won one in 1981.
The World Cup of Hockey Begins
In 1996, the Canada Cup was officially replaced by the World Cup of Hockey. The old Canada Cup trophy was retired. The new tournament had eight teams. The national teams from Canada, United States, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, and Sweden are known as the Big Six. Germany and Slovakia also joined. The United States beat Canada to win the first World Cup.
Eight years later, the second World Cup of Hockey 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 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The 2016 tournament had a slightly different 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 tournament. But in January 2019, plans for the tournament were stopped. This was because of talks about the agreement between the NHL and the NHL Players' Association. In February 2024, the NHL announced plans to hold the next World Cup in 2028. It will then happen every four years.
The World Cup Trophy
In 2004, a new trophy was designed for the tournament. It was created by Canadian American 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. The Toronto Sun newspaper even had a headline asking, "What is that?"
Tournament Winners
| Year | Final host city | 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 |
Team Titles
| 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 |
More About Hockey
In Spanish: Copa Mundial de Hockey sobre Hielo para niños
- List of international ice hockey competitions featuring NHL players
- 1972 Summit Series
- 1974 Summit Series
- Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
- Rendez-vous '87
