CHL receives all five bids for hosting rights to 2026 Memorial Cup

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on September 24, 2024.

sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Canadian Hockey League officials have some reading to do.

The CHL announced Monday that all five WHL clubs to submit an intent to bid for host rights of the 2026 Memorial Cup sent in their official bids on Friday.

The Medicine Hat Tigers, Brandon Wheat Kings, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Spokane Chiefs all submitted bids ahead of the 5 p.m. EST deadline.

“The WHL is excited to have five clubs vying for the opportunity to host the 2026 Memorial Cup,” WHL commissioner Dan Near said in a release.

“The tremendous interest from our five clubs is indicative of competitive balance on and off the ice within the WHL. Memorial Cups hosted by WHL clubs are some of the most memorable and entertaining in recent memory, and we are eager to deliver that same Western hospitality once again in 2026. We look forward to the bid review process and wish the best of luck to the Brandon Wheat Kings, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs.”

The submission of five bids marks the largest number of CHL clubs bidding for a Memorial Cup since six Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League franchises sought to host the 2009 Memorial Cup.

“We are excited to have received bids from five outstanding WHL franchises to host this event in 2026,” CHL president Dan MacKenzie said.

“Featuring the best junior hockey teams in the world, the Memorial Cup is a world-class event that provides a host city with a unique opportunity to both showcase its community and create an impactful legacy that can be felt for years after the event. With five bidding WHL cities, it is clear the interest is high in hosting this one-of-a-kind tournament and we can’t wait to identify which WHL team will have that privilege in 2026.”

In the release Monday, the CHL says the five clubs will be asked to formally present their bid before a selection committee in the weeks to come.

All of the bids will be evaluated on four categories, business operations, local atmosphere/community engagement, event logistics and hockey operations.

Following the evaluation process, the winning bid is tentatively scheduled to be announced by the end of December.