The Canadian Hockey League announced today that five Western Hockey League clubs – the Brandon Wheat Kings, Kelowna Rockets, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers, and Spokane Chiefs – have officially submitted their formal written bids in an effort to secure the hosting rights for the 2026 Memorial Cup. The five WHL clubs vying to host the 2026 Memorial Cup represent the largest number of CHL teams bidding for this event since six Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League franchises sought to host the 2009 Memorial Cup.
All five franchises from the WHL were required to submit their bid documents ahead of last Friday’s deadline. They will now be asked to formally present their bid before a selection committee in the weeks to come. Each of the bids will be evaluated based 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 2024.
Of the five clubs bidding for the 2026 Memorial Cup, both the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers are looking to host this event for the first time in franchise history, while the Spokane Chiefs (1998), Kelowna Rockets (2004), and Brandon Wheat Kings (2010) are all aiming to do it again. Additionally, between the five bidding clubs from the WHL, they have collectively won the Memorial Cup a total of five times, led by Medicine Hat (1987 & 1988), and Spokane (1991 & 2008), who have twice been crowned Memorial Cup champions. Among the other three bidding teams, Kelowna is the lone franchise to have won a Memorial Cup (2004) as both Lethbridge and Brandon are still in search of their first.
"We are incredibly excited to announce the official submission of our bid to host the 2026 Memorial Cup," stated Jared Jacobson, Owner & Governor of the Brandon Wheat Kings in the CHL's news release. "Since sharing our intent to bid, the community support has been truly outstanding. From local government to businesses and passionate hockey fans, the enthusiasm has been overwhelming—this strong community backing is the foundation of our bid. Our proposal is unique and innovative, positioning Brandon as a premier host city for this prestigious event. As the only sole provincial WHL team submitting a bid, we are proud to represent our province at this level. The Keystone Centre, with its expansive facilities, has already undergone major upgrades, and if successful, additional enhancements are planned to elevate the fan experience even further. With its size, versatility, and location, the Keystone Centre is the perfect venue for an event of this magnitude. We are ready to deliver a world-class Memorial Cup experience for athletes, fans, and the entire hockey community."
The most recent Memorial Cup took place last spring in Saginaw, and the host Spirit defeated the London Knights 4-3 in the final to secure Saginaw’s first-ever CHL championship title in franchise history. By accomplishing the latter, the Spirit became the first CHL club from Michigan to ever win the Memorial Cup and just the third U.S. franchise to accomplish the feat.
Next year’s 2025 Memorial Cup will take place in Rimouski, Québec from May 22 to June 1, 2025. The 105th edition of the Memorial Cup will mark the return of the CHL’s championship event to the province of Québec for what will be the first time in 10 years.