EDMONTON - Edmonton will host the 2017 men's world curling championship at Rexall Place.

The announcement was made Tuesday at Edmonton's city hall.

The tournament will be the last chance for countries to earn enough points to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

A dozen countries, including host Canada, will be in the field for the event April 1-9. Canada's representative will be determined in March at the Canadian men's championship in St. John's, N.L.

Edmonton holds the attendance record for the Ford World Men's Curling championship with 184,970 in 2007 at Rexall Place. Canada's Glenn Howard won the world title that year.

The city also set attendance records of 281,985 for the Tim Hortons Brier in 2005 and 175,852 for the Olympic trials in 2009.

Rexall Place has a capacity just under 17,000. The arena is the current home of the Edmonton Oilers, but the NHL team will move to the new 18,647-seat Rogers Place in 2016-17.

Edmonton has hosted six Briers and most recently in 2013.

The men's world championship has been held in Canada 23 times since the event's inception in 1959.

Canada has won 34 world titles with Howard the most recent Canadian victor in 2012 in Basel, Switzerland.

Basel is again the host city of this year's men's championship April 2-10.

The women's world championship will be held March 19-27 in Swift Current, Sask.