Winnipeg, MB – Wheelchair Rugby Canada (WRC) is excited to announce that the 2027 Wheelchair Rugby National Championships will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba from May 13–16, 2027, in collaboration with the Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association (MWSA).

The 2027 National Championships will mark a special homecoming for wheelchair rugby, returning to the city where the sport was invented 50 years ago.

In 1977, four Winnipeg athletes, Gerry Terwin, Duncan Campbell, Randy Dueck and Paul LeJeune, began experimenting with a ball in the gym at the Manitoba Health Sciences Centre. Over the following weeks and months, the four continued developing the rules and promoting the sport across Canada, helping lay the groundwork for the international sport it is today. What started as a way to pass the time became the foundation for Murderball, now known around the world as wheelchair rugby.

Fifty years later, the Canadian wheelchair rugby community will return to Winnipeg to celebrate the sport’s history, honour its founders and the many people who have helped grow the game, and look ahead to its future.

“Having played this game for the past 33 years and being able to celebrate the 50th anniversary where the sport originated will be one of the highlights of my career,” said three-time Paralympic medalist and provincial coach Jared Funk. “We hope to bring not only the best players in Canada here but also those who started the game and celebrate what they’ve created.”

The 2027 National Championships will bring athletes from across the country together for four days of competition and celebration at the RBC Convention Centre, with teams competing for the Division One Campbell Cup and Division Two Zbieranowski Cup.

“As the current president of MWSA, I could not be more excited to be hosting the 2027 Nationals. It’s been 50 years since the game was invented right here in Winnipeg, so hosting this year just feels right. We’ve got a lot of exciting things planned to make this year a little extra special,” said Christopher Klodt, President of the Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association.

“Nationals are the pinnacle of our domestic season, and bringing the event back to Winnipeg for the 50th anniversary of wheelchair rugby is incredibly meaningful,” said Paul Hunter, CEO of Wheelchair Rugby Canada. “This is an opportunity to celebrate the people and communities who built this sport, while showcasing the incredible athletes competing in wheelchair rugby across Canada today. We’re excited to work alongside the Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association to make 2027 a memorable year for the Canadian wheelchair rugby community.”

Further details about the 2027 National Championships, including the competition schedule, spectator information, volunteer opportunities, and anniversary celebrations, will be announced in the coming months.

Mark your calendars for May 13–16, 2027, as we return to Winnipeg to celebrate 50 years of wheelchair rugby where it all began.

This event is made possible in part by the support of Winnipeg Economic Development and Tourism and the City of Winnipeg.