It is now official: France is a candidate for the organization of the Men's Ice Hockey World Cup in 2028. The French federation of the discipline (FFHG) announced it in a press release, where its president, Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, explains having submitted the application file last week to the international body (IIHF). The French project plans meetings at the Accor Arena in Paris (photo above) and at the LDLC Arena in Décines, in the suburbs of Lyon, for a competition which would be held from May 12 to 18, 2028. At this stage of the process, the French file has no competitor, but a candidacy from Kazakhstan – beaten by Germany for hosting the World Cup in 2027 – could also be presented. The IIHF's decision is expected on May 24, the date of its next general assembly in Prague. The next editions of the Men's World Cup are planned in the Czech Republic this year, in Sweden and Denmark in 2025, then in Switzerland (2026), and in Germany (2027).
