Ballhockey.com

Royal George Invitational 2027

February 19–21, 2027

Haig Bowl Arena, St. Catharines, Ontario

Men’s B and Men’s C — eight teams per division

Where tradition meets competition.

How to get in See the prize climb
Cash prize grows with every team Three guaranteed games Champions lift the Dominion Cup

The event

A Niagara tradition, in its second chapter

The Royal George Invitational takes its name from the ground it’s played on. Fort George, the Niagara frontier, and a region that has always been defined by what happens when two sides refuse to give an inch.

February is the coldest weekend of the ball hockey calendar and the floor at Haig Bowl is the warmest place in the region. Eight Men’s B teams and eight Men’s C teams, three guaranteed games each, then straight into single elimination with a growing pot of cash and the Dominion Cup waiting at the end of it.

The 2026 field wrote the first chapter. This one is open to the clubs willing to come and take it.

The inaugural Dominion Cup presented at the 2026 Royal George Invitational Teammates celebrating on the floor at the 2026 Royal George Invitational
The inaugural Dominion Cup, won at Haig Bowl in February 2026.

Progressive cash prize

Every team that enters raises the stakes

Each division starts at $1,400 and climbs with every team that joins it. Divisions run with four to eight teams — drag the slider to see where the pot lands.

$1,400 to start, plus $300 for every team that enters Men’s B.

$3,800to the division champion
8
4 team minimum8 team maximum

Men’s B, team by team

A full Men’s B division pays $3,800 to the winner and a full Men’s C division pays $3,000. The pot is locked once registration closes, and the number of teams in your division is public the whole way — you always know what you’re playing for.

How to get in

Invitations first, then the door opens

This is an invitational. Invited clubs get first refusal on all sixteen spots, and anything they don’t take goes to open registration.

October – November 2026

Invitations go out

Returning clubs and invited teams receive an invitation with their division and the deadline to respond.

Acceptance window

Accept and place a deposit

An invitation holds your spot until the deadline. A $200 deposit confirms it. Miss the window and the spot is released.

After the window closes

Open registration

Remaining spots are opened to any team that meets the division rating requirements, first come, first served.

The details

Tournament information

Entry is $1,200 per team with taxes included. A $200 deposit holds your spot and the remaining $1,000 is paid at the rink before your first scheduled game.

Register your team

Event dates
February 19–21, 2027
Location
Haig Bowl Arena, St. Catharines, Ontario
Divisions
Men’s B and Men’s C, eight teams each
Entry fee
$1,200 per team, taxes included
Deposit
$200 to hold your spot. The remaining $1,000 is paid at the rink before your first game.
Registration deadline
February 10, 2027
Schedule released
Friday, February 12, 2027
Online roster deadline
February 15, 2027
Roster size
Maximum 20 players, goalies included
Game format
Three 10-minute stop-time periods
Guarantee
Three round-robin games, then single elimination
Awards
MVP, MVD and MVG in each division

Champions’ package

What the champions play for

  • The Dominion Cup

    Divisional champions lift the Cup on the floor and have their club engraved on it. The Cup itself stays with the event, waiting for the next team to come take it.

  • The full cash prize

    Up to $3,800 in Men’s B and $3,000 in Men’s C, paid to the champion on the day.

  • Custom team jerseys

    Long-sleeve jerseys and shorts for the B champions, custom t-shirt jerseys for the C champions. Supplier confirmed with invitations.

Champions lifting the Dominion Cup at Haig Bowl Arena The Dominion Cup presented to the winning team Divisional award winners with the Dominion Cup and MVP boards
Championship weekend, February 2026.

2026 in pictures

The first chapter

Scroll for more →

Player celebrating a goal at the 2026 Royal George Invitational Shot on goal in front of a full crowd Team lining up before a game Two players battling for position Player waiting on the bench before a shift Player calling for the ball at Haig Bowl Arena Defenceman carrying the ball out of his zone Sticks up after a goal Goaltender and forward sharing a moment at the net Shot from the top of the circle Player on the bench between shifts Team heading out for the next period Breaking out with the ball Forward driving up the floor Defenceman setting up a play Carrying the ball through the neutral zone

Rules and fine print

Ratings and eligibility

This event does not contribute to the Events Player Ratings Database, but teams and players must meet Ratings Database requirements to compete.

If a player is rostered in both the B and C divisions and is not already B-rated before the tournament starts, they will not be assigned a B rating for this event. That player does not count toward the four B-rated player limit on their C division team, and there is no impact on future Ballhockey.com ratings.

Look up a player rating · Appeal a rating

Rosters

Maximum of 20 participants per team including goalies. Rosters submitted after the roster deadline will not be checked or approved by club management, and teams risk forfeited games if they field an illegal roster.

Every participant must complete the event waiver before playing.

Tie-breakers
  • More points
  • More wins
  • Head-to-head result
  • Best goal differential
  • More goals for
  • Fewer penalty minutes
  • Fewer losses
Governing rules

All Ballhockey.com tournaments follow the Official Ballhockey.com Rule Book alongside the Ballhockey.com Tournament Rules and event restrictions.

Who takes the Cup this time?

Sixteen spots. Invitations go out in the fall. If your club wants one, let us know now.

Ask about an invitation Register a team