Saint Mary’s Huskies to host 2026 U SPORTS men’s hockey championship

HALIFAX, NS - The Saint Mary's University Huskies are proud to announce their selection as host of the 2026 U SPORTS men's hockey national championship.

The University Cup championship will be held from March 19 – 22, 2026. The prestigious event will return to the historic Scotiabank Centre for the first time since 2020 – when the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U SPORTS selection committee made the announcement Wednesday afternoon at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. The 2026 University Cup will be the first of four prestigious U SPORTS National Championships to be held at the Scotiabank Centre over the next four years, marking a new chapter for university sports in Canada.

• 2026 University Cup (Host: Saint Mary's University)
• 2027 Women's Basketball Final 8 (Host: Acadia University)
• 2027 Men's Basketball Final 8 (Host: Dalhousie University)
• 2028 Women's Hockey Championship (Host: STFX University)

"Saint Mary's University is proud to be a part of this tremendous collaborative initiative to host upcoming U SPORTS Championships in Halifax," said Scott Gray, Saint Mary's University Director of Athletics & Recreation. "We are incredibly excited to host the 2026 University Cup and welcome the top U SPORTS Men's Hockey teams to the Scotiabank Centre. Time and time again, Halifax has proven that we support University Athletics and hockey like nowhere else in the country, and we are thrilled to welcome hockey fans from across Canada and showcase our renowned East Coast hospitality. " 

Each host university receives an automatic bid into the championship. The Saint Mary's Huskies have competed in the University Cup six times - most recently in 2023 - and won the David Johnston University Cup in 2010. The Huskies last hosted in 2016 at the Scotiabank Centre, and won the bronze medal.

"Halifax has a long and storied history supporting U SPORTS events, with some of the highest-attended national championships in this building," said Pierre Arsenault, U SPORTS Chief Executive Officer. When U SPORTS received the joint bid between the four host universities in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, the City of Halifax, Discover Halifax and Scotiabank Centre, it was a very easy decision to bring these four championships to the City of Trees. We know the event will be supported by the corporate community and fans, resulting in a world-class experience for our student-athletes attending the championships."

Scotiabank Centre serves as the backdrop for all four championships. It has hosted the men's basketball Final 8 a record 31 times, while the University Cup has been contested twice inside the hallowed walls of the building. The 2027 women's basketball Final 8 will be the second time Halifax hosts the championship, with the 1980 CIAU women's basketball tournament contested at Dalhousie University. 

The 2026 University Cup men's hockey championship runs March 19 - 22, 2026, followed by the 2027 U SPORTS Final 8 championships in basketball from March 11 – 14, 2027. The U SPORTS women's hockey championship is scheduled for March 23 – 26, 2028.

Sports and Entertainment Atlantic (S|E|A) will handle the event operations, sales, and marketing.

Stay tuned for the unveiling of the championship logos in January 2025 and more exciting updates as Halifax prepares to welcome the best in Canadian university sports.