Manitoba allowing bars, restaurants to open early for gold medal Olympic hockey game

MILAN, ITALY - FEBRUARY 20: Shea Theodore #27 of Team Canada celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the third period during the Men's Semifinals Playoff match between Canada and Finland on day fourteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 20, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Bars and restaurants will be able to open early for the Canadian men’s hockey gold medal game at the Olympics Sunday.

The province announced Friday that licensed establishments will be allowed to open early Sunday morning to cheer on Team Canada as they battle the United States for a gold medal.

“From Elkhorn to Winnipeg, Manitobans will be waking up early to cheer together. That’s why we’re allowing bars and restaurants to open early, so friends, families and neighbours can gather, share that energy and celebrate what unites us,” Kinew said in a news release.

For those places that apply to open early, they are not allowed to serve alcohol before 5 a.m. and no earlier than one hour before the game starts.

They must be closed for at least one hour from the night before and the entire purpose of them being open is to show the hockey game.

The executive director of the Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba can allow special hours for events that offer community, provincial or national significance.

Canada and the U.S.A. will clash for gold at 7:10 a.m. Sunday.