Arctic Winter Games Team Alberta North (Image Credit: Team Alberta North)

By Tanner Smith

2026 Arctic Winter Games

Team Alberta North full of Peace Region locals heading into Arctic Games

Mar 7, 2026 | 9:00 AM

The Arctic Winter Games will begin on Sunday, Mar. 9, in Whitehorse, Yukon, and run through the end of the week.

The games, held every two years, were last hosted by Alaska in 2024, and saw Team Alberta North take third overall with 122 total podium finishes. The team says they now want to take that momentum into 2026.

The Alberta government says they invested $980,000 to support “a delegation of 282 athletes, cultural participants, coaches and mission staff,” as they represent all those in Alberta living above the 55th parallel against teams from Alaska, Kalaallit Nunaat-Greenland, Sápmi-northern Scandinavia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavik-Quebec, Nunavut and the Yukon.

This year, Team Alberta North will have strong Peace Region representation, with 172 athletes and coaching staff from the area on the 282-person team, including 102 from Grande Prairie.

Those Peace Region athletes will now face more than 2,000 athletes, in 20 sports ranging from “badminton, biathlon ski, curling and hockey to traditional Arctic Sports and Dene Games, including the Alaskan high kick, one-hand reach, knuckle hop, snow snake, pole push and hand games.”

The 2026 Arctic Winter Games will host its Opening Ceremony on Sunday, March 9, starting at 7:15 p.m.. Alberta has chosen a three-time Arctic Winter Games athlete to be the flag bearer, biathlon skier Tula Sundholm from Fort McMurray, who called the opportunity an “honour.”

Team Alberta North Opening Ceremonies Flag Bearer:

Alberta’s Minister of Tourism and Sport is wishing all the athletes making the trip north, good luck, adding, ” when you wear that Alberta blue, you carry with you the spirit of the North. I encourage all Albertans to cheer on Team Alberta North as they compete and celebrate northern sport and culture.”

A livestream for the games is available on the Hometeam Live’s website for anyone interested in watching Team Alberta North, while more information and a full schedule can be found on the official 2026 Arctic Winter Games site.