Sports Streaming
How to Watch the Memorial Cup in Canada Without Cable
The Memorial Cup is the championship of Canadian major junior hockey and one of the oldest trophies in the sport, first awarded in 1919. Four teams contest it each May: the champions of the OHL, WHL and QMJHL, plus the host club. TSN and RDS carry every game, and neither is available free over the air, so cord-cutters need a plan. Here is what the tournament is, when it runs, and how to watch it.
Key takeaways
- Every Memorial Cup game airs on TSN, with RDS carrying French coverage.
- The tournament is played in late May, following the three league championship series.
- Four teams compete: the OHL, WHL and QMJHL champions plus the host club.
- There is no free over-the-air broadcast in Canada.
- TiviLeaf includes TSN, TSN2-5 and RDS from $9 CAD/month.
How the Tournament Works
The Memorial Cup is unusual among championships in that one participant does not have to win anything to get there. The host city is awarded in advance, and its team plays regardless of how its season went — which occasionally produces a host side that was eliminated early in its own league playoffs.
| Stage | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Round robin | Each team plays the other three | Seeds the knockout stage |
| Tiebreaker | Played if required | Between teams level on points |
| Semi-final | Second v third | Winner advances to the final |
| Final | Single game | Winner takes the Memorial Cup |
The whole thing runs about ten days, which makes it one of the shortest and most watchable championships on the Canadian calendar — roughly nine games total.
Why It Matters Beyond Junior Hockey
- It is the best NHL draft scouting of the year. Most of the top-ranked North American skaters in any given draft class play in the CHL, and the Memorial Cup is where they play their highest-stakes games.
- Regional rivalries carry over. An OHL champion meeting a QMJHL champion is a genuine test between leagues that rarely play each other.
- The host format creates upsets. A host team with a home crowd and no travel is a real threat regardless of its seeding.
- Small-market hockey towns get a national stage, which is a large part of the tournament’s appeal in Canada.
Option 1 — TSN Direct
- Price: approximately $19.99 CAD per month.
- Coverage: all five TSN feeds plus replays — the complete tournament.
- Best for: a single month in May, cancelled in June.
Because the tournament is contained within about ten days, a one-month subscription covers it in full. That is a reasonable approach if the Memorial Cup is the only thing you want.
Option 2 — IPTV
TiviLeaf includes TSN, TSN2–5, RDS and RDS2 from $9 CAD per month. In May that also covers the tail of the NHL playoffs, which run concurrently, plus the IIHF World Championship, which is played at the same time on the same networks. Plans and pricing are listed at tivileaf.com/#pricing.
The Road to the Memorial Cup
The three league championship series run through May and all air on TSN, with RDS covering the QMJHL final in French. If you want the full picture rather than just the tournament itself, that is roughly a month of hockey:
- OHL Championship Series: Ontario Hockey League final, best of seven.
- WHL Championship Series: Western Hockey League final, best of seven.
- QMJHL Championship Series: Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League final, best of seven, with French coverage on RDS.
- Memorial Cup: the three winners plus the host, in late May.
Our CHL viewing guide covers the league seasons in more detail.
Best Devices for Watching
- Amazon Firestick / Fire TV: the most common streaming stick in Canadian homes. See the Fire TV setup guide.
- Samsung and LG smart TVs: app support built in, no extra box needed. See the Samsung guide or the LG guide.
- Apple TV: the smoothest option for 4K streams. See the Apple TV guide.
- Android TV, Google TV and NVIDIA Shield: including budget boxes like the Walmart onn. See the Google TV guide.
- iPhone, iPad and Android phones: for watching on the move or on a second screen.
Junior hockey is shot the same way as the NHL, so the same stream-quality considerations apply — a fast puck against white ice is the hardest case for video compression. Aim for 25 Mbps and a wired connection where possible. See our speed guide.
FAQ
What channel is the Memorial Cup on in Canada?
Every Memorial Cup game airs on TSN in English, with RDS carrying French-language coverage. There is no free over-the-air broadcast in Canada.
When is the Memorial Cup played?
The Memorial Cup is played in late May, after the OHL, WHL and QMJHL championship series conclude. The tournament runs roughly ten days and is about nine games in total.
Which teams play in the Memorial Cup?
Four teams: the champions of the OHL, WHL and QMJHL, plus the host club. The host qualifies automatically regardless of its playoff result, which is why a host team can appear despite an early elimination.
Can I watch the Memorial Cup without cable?
Yes. TSN Direct streams it standalone for about $20 CAD per month with no cable package, and TiviLeaf includes TSN and RDS from $9 CAD per month.