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The World Cup of Hockey, last played in 2016, will return in February 2028 with hopes of commanding a regular place on the global schedule alongside the Winter Olympics."Resuming Olympic participation next season and staging a World Cup of Hockey in February 2028 will provide expanded opportunity for more players to represent more nations in best-on-best competition.

As hockey fans prepared to watch their favorite NHL players take part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the first best-on-best tournament since 2016, they received more good news ahead of puck drop.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that the 2028 World Cup of Hockey will be held. He called for cities to submit bids to host the tournament.

The World Cup of Hockey 2028 will be played on NHL-sized rinks using NHL rules and officiated by NHL officials. Other competition details will be determined by the NHLPA and NHL in consultation with third parties, where appropriate, in the coming months.

The league and union still have to hash out details like the host city (or cities), Russian participation and participating countries.

MONTREAL -- The World Cup of Hockey will return in 2028, the NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Bettman announced plans to have the World Cup of Hockey held every four years, alternating with the Winter Olympic Games every two years, beginning in 2028, bringing back the best-on-best international action that fans have been craving since the 2010 Winter Olympics.

MONTREAL (AP) — The World Cup of Hockey is returning in 2028, setting the stage for the sport to get on a routine of international competitions with the world's best players every other year.

The goal is to have an international tournament every other year, with players going to the Olympics in 2026 and ’30.