Kelowna, B.C., to host Memorial Cup in 2026

The Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026, the Canadian Hockey League said Wednesday. 

The annual four-team competition features champions from the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, along with a host team.

"We look forward to working alongside the Kelowna Rockets and the City of Kelowna to make the 106th edition of the Memorial Cup a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both fans and players alike," CHL president Dan MacKenzie said in a statement.

Kelowna was one of five WHL clubs to submit bids for the event. 

The Rockets won their lone CHL championship when they last hosted in 2004. Led by Shea Weber and Josh Gorges, Kelowna edged the Gatineau Olympiques in the final at Prospera Place.

Bruce Hamilton, the president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets, said both team officials and the City of Kelowna are looking forward to the event.

"A 10-day event is going to be moving into the city in May of 2026 that will bring, you know, a lot of economic action to it," he told CBC News. 

"But more importantly, [it's] a national event, and we're just thrilled to be part of it."

Hamilton said the last time the Rockets hosted the CHL championship in 2004, it injected at least $10 million into the local economy.

The City of Kelowna has committed around $3.7 million to the refurbishment of the Prospera Place arena, which is set to be completed over the next few months according to Hamilton.

"The city deserves a lot of credit because they stepped up and they knew that we weren't going to have a chance to bid unless the facility met the standards," he said.

The 2025 Memorial Cup will be played May 22-June 1 in Rimouski, Que. 

The host Saginaw Spirit won the 2024 tournament last spring.