We had a spectacular end to the 2025/26 Champions Hockey League season just over a week ago, but now it's time to start gearing up for 2026/27 - here's your first qualification overview for the upcoming 12th season of Europe's elite club ice hockey competition!
Nine teams are already confirmed on the 24-place line-up, who are they?
HC Davos
Swiss side HC Davos became the first team to punch their ticket for the 2026/27 CHL season, qualifying well ahead of everybody else in late January. The traditional Swiss club finished first in the NL regular season and are eagerly waiting to see who they will face in their domestic playoffs as we speak. When they make their big return to the CHL later this year, they will experience the competition's new format for the very first time, having last participated in the 2022/23 CHL season.
KAC Klagenfurt
A traditional participant of the CHL, Austrian side KAC Klagenfurt have now qualified for three seasons of top-level European club ice hockey in a row! With two memorable wins in their 2025/26 CHL campaign, including an unforgettable 3-2 victory over DEL mega club Eisbären Berlin in the Heidi Horten-Arena on Game Day 2, the ICE HL side will look to climb the CHL Regular Season Standings even more and make it into the Playoffs in 2026/27!
Graz99ers
After playing in the Champions Hockey League in the 2019/20 season, the Graz99ers have never made it back - until now! The Austrian side stormed through the ICE HL regular season and beat Klagenfurt to top spot and qualify them for 2026/27! We can't wait to see how this organisation has developed since we last met!
Dynamo Pardubice
As a traditional Czech Extraliga contender of recent years, Dynamo Pardubice have been making huge strides and are a club with ambition. They've qualified for the upcoming season of the CHL, their sixth on the European club ice hockey scene, from top spot in the Czech Extraliga regular season, a result they've reached in three of the last four seasons. Let's see what they bring to the CHL in 2026/27!
Fribourg-Gottéron
The second NL side in the 2026/27 CHL line-up are another familiar one - Fribourg-Gottéron! We last saw the Swiss side in the Champions Hockey League just a season ago, in 2024/25, where they made the Round of 16, but let's not forget Fribourg making the CHL Semi-Finals in 2017!
Kölner Haie
The big one all Haie fans have waited for - Kölner Haie are back in the Champions Hockey League for the very first time in over a decade! The Rhineland club are a powerhouse in their region, depending on an amazing fan group and a packed arena averaging over 18,000 fans per game across the 2025/26 DEL regular season. We can't wait to see this side hit the CHL ice later this year!
Frölunda Gothenburg
Of course they are back, they're the reigning European Club Champions! The automatic qualification of CHL Champions Frölunda Gothenburg, who beat fellow Swedes Luleå Hockey to the title in CHL Final 2026, means that Sweden will have four teams playing in 2026/27 instead of just three.
Skellefteå AIK
Swedish side Skellefteå AIK need no introduction. Their iconic black-yellow-white colours are instantly recognisable to CHL fans everywhere, and very well should be, given they will be lining up for their 10th season amongst Europe's very best in 2026/27! Their CHL record so far? They've qualified for the Playoffs in each season they've played, made the Quarter-Finals five times, made the Semi-Finals twice and even battled for the European Trophy in CHL Final 2024.
HC Pilsen
There's nothing better than welcoming back an old friend and HC Pilsen are exactly that! The Czech Extraliga side clinched second place in the regular season standings to qualify them for the upcoming season of the CHL for the first time since 2020! We can't wait to see them compete against Europe's very best come 2026/27.
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