Wednesday, 27. May 2026 |
CHL Draw
The pairings for the 2026/27 Champions Hockey League were drawn today in Zurich as part of the IIHF World Championship. Since the 2023/24 season, the main round of Europe's premier hockey competition has been played as a regular season, with each team playing six games against six different opponents.
The Red Bulls will play in Salzburg against Eisbären Berlin (German champions), Kölner Haie, and Bílí Tygři Liberec from the Czech Tipsport Extraliga. The Red Bulls will also have to play three away games in Sweden. The top teams Skellefteå AIK (Swedish champions), Växjö Lakers, and Rögle Ängelholm await.
In total, Salzburg will face two German teams, three Swedish teams, and one Czech team.
Statement by Captain Thomas Raffl
"The CHL is interesting because you can compete against the best. Looking at our draw, we've probably got almost the best of the best. It's a huge challenge, of course, but I think it will do our team good to start the season with games like these. In any case, the CHL will always be something special, and we're already looking forward to starting again in the top league."
An overview of EC Red Bull Salzburg's CHL opponents
Home games
Eisbären Berlin | 12-time German champions, German champions 2025/26
Kölner Haie | 8-time German champions, regular season winners 2025/26
Bílí Tygři Liberec | One-time Czech champions, third place in the 2025/26 regular season
Away games
Skellefteå AIK | 5-time Swedish champions, Swedish champions 2025/26
Växjö Lakers | 4-time Swedish champions, third place in the overall standings 2025/26
Rögle Ängelholm | One-time CHL champion, fourth place in the overall Swedish standings 2025/26
CHL Game Highlights | EC Red Bull Salzburg vs. ERC Ingolstadt | 19.11.25
Format | Regular Season and Playoffs
The regular season consists of 24 teams. Each team plays every other team once. Therefore, in the CHL regular season, each team plays six games: three at home and three away, against six different opponents. Teams from the same league do not play each other during the regular season.
The results of the regular season (3-point system) determine a ranking across all 24 teams. The top 16 teams qualify for the playoff round of 16, with the first-place team playing the 16th, the second the 15th, and so on. This determines the playoff bracket leading up to the final. Playoff series consists of two games, with aggregate score determining the winner in case of a tie. Only the final is a single, decisive game.
Schedule
Regular Season: September 3 to October 14
Round of 16: November 10/11 & 17/18
Quarterfinals: December 1/2 & 15
Semifinals: January 12/14 & 19/20
Final: February 23, 2027
Mit Video
Red Bulls impress with victory against Ingolstadt despite CHL elimination// CHL | PLAYOFFS
Mit Video
Red Bulls advance to the CHL playoffs with home win against Berlin// CHL REGULAR SEASON
Mit Video
Red Bulls lose 1-2 in Odense// CHL REGULAR SEASON