Guelph Storm & Kitchener Rangers Named Finalists to Host the 2027 Memorial Cup Presented by Kubota Canada
OHL Guelph Storm

Guelph Storm & Kitchener Rangers Named Finalists to Host the 2027 Memorial Cup Presented by Kubota Canada

Published on September 4, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release


TORONTO, ON - The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) is proud to announce that the Guelph Storm and Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) have been selected as the two finalist clubs in the bid to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada. The finalists were determined by the 2027 Memorial Cup Site Selection Committee, an independent panel of five individuals with extensive experience across the sports landscape. This committee will also be responsible for selecting the winning bid.

After reviewing submissions from OHL clubs that declared their intent to bid, the committee identified Guelph and Kitchener as the two finalists. In the coming weeks, both organizations will be invited to submit formal written bids, which will be evaluated across four categories: Business Operations, Community Engagement & Atmosphere, Event Logistics, and Hockey Operations. The winning host will then be determined through a comprehensive process that also includes formal presentations and site visits, with a final decision expected between late November and early December 2025.

"The Memorial Cup is the toughest trophy to win in amateur sport, and few markets reflect the history and passion for junior hockey more than Guelph and Kitchener," said Dan MacKenzie, President of the CHL. "Both communities are defined by devoted fan bases and a deep-rooted tradition in our game, and each has played an important role in shaping junior hockey's history. The Memorial Cup continues to be a celebration of hockey excellence, community spirit, and national pride, and we are confident that either city would provide a fitting and exceptional stage for the 2027 tournament."

"We're thrilled to be one of the final two teams in the running to host the 2027 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada," shared Matt Newby, Vice President of Business Operations for the Guelph Storm. "The opportunity to welcome hockey fans from across North America to Guelph, with the Memorial Cup as the centerpiece of a celebration of hockey and our city's bicentennial, would be an incredible honour for our community."

"We could not be more thrilled to be announced as a finalist to host the 2027 Memorial Cup - we believe that Kitchener is the perfect host city," stated Joe Birch, Chief Operating Officer of the Kitchener Rangers. "Our city has a rich hockey history, outstanding facilities, and a dedicated fan base that would make the 2027 Memorial Cup an unforgettable experience for all participants and visitors. We look forward to completing the next steps in the selection process."

The Kitchener Rangers and Guelph Storm each boast deep connections to the Memorial Cup. Kitchener has twice been crowned CHL champion, lifting the trophy in 1982 and 2003, and has appeared in the tournament six times (1981, 1982, 1984, 1990, 2003, 2008), advancing to the final on every occasion. The Rangers' home, the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, has also hosted the tournament four times (1962, 1975, 1984, 2008), making it one of the event's most frequent venues. Guelph, meanwhile, has competed in six Memorial Cups (1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2019) and proudly served as host in 2002, marking the franchise's first time staging the tournament. While the Storm have only hosted once, the city of Guelph also played a role as a co-host of the 1962 Memorial Cup alongside Kitchener and Hamilton. And although the Storm have yet to capture the trophy, the Royal City has still celebrated Memorial Cup triumphs thanks to the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in 1952 and the Guelph Platers in 1986.

The most recent Memorial Cup was held last spring in Rimouski, Québec, where the London Knights defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 in the final to capture the franchise's third CHL championship. With the victory, London joined the Cornwall Royals, Kamloops Blazers, and Windsor Spitfires as the only clubs to win three Memorial Cup titles since 1972. The Knights previously lifted the trophy in 2005 and 2016.

Looking ahead, the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota Canada will be hosted by the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and staged in Kelowna, B.C., from May 21 to 31, 2026. The 106th edition of the tournament will mark the championship's return to Kelowna, which last hosted in 2004.

The Memorial Cup brings together the playoff champions of the WHL, OHL, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with a host club, in a four-team round-robin tournament to crown the CHL champion. First awarded in 1919, the Memorial Cup has become one of hockey's most prestigious trophies, with a legacy that has helped define junior hockey in North America. Originally donated by the Ontario Hockey Association to honour Canadian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the First World War, the trophy was rededicated in 2010 to commemorate all fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces, further cementing its role as a symbol of remembrance, sacrifice, and national pride.

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