Release from 11.12.2025

500,000 fans mark to be surpassed at Friday’s clash between Villach and Salzburg

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In the only win2day ICE Hockey League game this week, the stakes couldn’t be higher in the battle for a Top-6 spot: seventh-placed EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV hosts sixth-placed EC Red Bull Salzburg – with just a single point separating the two teams. The rescheduled Round 18 matchup, postponed due to Salzburg’s CHL Round of 16 commitments, will also see the league surpass the 500,000 fans milestone.

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So far, 499,040 fans have attended the 167 games played in the win2day ICE Hockey League, averaging 2,988 spectators per game – a 7% increase compared to last season. The last time the 500,000 mark was reached this early was during the 2019/20 season, when nearly 520,000 fans had attended the first 168 games.

A large crowd is expected on Friday as VSV and Salzburg meet in a prestige matchup with major standings implications. Salzburg currently sits in sixth place with 39 points, just one point ahead of Villach – and with one additional game already played.

In the only meeting between the two teams this season, Salzburg earned a narrow 2:1 overtime home win, with defenseman Connor Corcoran scoring both goals. Last season, however, VSV won three of the four head-to-head battles. Current form slightly favors the Red Bulls, though they have won only two of their last five games. Villach has just one win in its last five outings but has been strong at home, taking four of its last six home games.

win2day ICE Hockey League:
Fri, 12.12.2025:
19:15: EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV – EC Red Bull Salzburg
Referees: HOLZER, SMETANA, Bärnthaler, Bedynek. | LIVE on Sporteurope.tv