After the Summit Series of 1972 and 1974, the NHL and NHLPA decided to broaden the scope of the competition, inviting to the tournament a number of hockey countries and allowing each invited country to send the best possible team they could muster. To live up to this ideal, the Canada Cup (unlike the 1972 Summit Series) would allow players from the WHA to participate. This first of five such Canada Cup tournaments would take place during the first two weeks of September 1976.