Major Change Coming to Future Four Nations Tournament? European Players Make a Big Request to Gary Bettman
The Four Nations was a huge win for the NHL, and now, European players and teams are urging the NHL to host the next edition of the tournament overseas.
While other leagues have struggled with All-Star games, the NHL hit it out of the park with the Four Nations Face Off, and while the political backdrop of the tournament certainly helped, the NHL did incredible business with the tournament.
It's unclear if we will get another one under the same name, with the NHL confirming their return to the Olympic Games and the running of a World Cup every two years in conjunction with that, but the fan interest is clearly there.
Now, a new report from Elliotte Friedman has revealed that the European teams and players are pushing the NHL and Gary Bettman to host the next tournament overseas, as they saw what incredible atmospheres were present in North America, with a genuine tournament like this meaning big business for the league overseas.
The 2026 Olympic Games are set to be hosted in Milan, but with the NHL having more control over the World Cup in 2028 and beyond, this might be Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Czechia or another teams best opportunity to get elite level hockey with top NHL stars played in their own backyards.
Right now, international best-on-best hockey is one of the hottest tickets in sports, and with the Olympics set for 12 months from now, it's safe to say that will continue moving forward, and if the league can get the incredible atmosphere in Europe involved in future tournaments, it's safe to say that it will do wonders for the fans watching at home and those in attendance.
![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates scoring against Team Canada during the first period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/531393.webp "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk (7) celebrates scoring against Team Canada during the first period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images")
