Release from 01.06.2026

ICE expands to 14 teams: Hockey Club Milano granted admission

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The Annual General Meeting of the win2day ICE Hockey League took place in Salzburg on Monday. Approximately three and a half months before the start of the 2026/27 season on September 18, 2026, the league's key decisions for the upcoming campaign were finalized. The league will expand to 14 teams, as Hockey Club Milano was admitted as a new member with the required two-thirds majority vote. At the same time, the Pioneers Vorarlberg confirmed their participation for the upcoming season.

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In addition to the formal agenda items, discussions focused on the future development of the league as well as numerous initiatives in the areas of marketing, streaming, and commercial development. The clubs approved several professionalization projects that will already be implemented during the 2026/27 season.

During the General Meeting, a new Vice President was also elected unanimously. Following the departure of Viktor Szelig, Miha Butara, President of Olimpija Ljubljana, will join the executive board of the win2day ICE Hockey League in this role. Furthermore, Mag. Wolfgang Kofler was unanimously elected as a new member of the league's Permanent Independent Arbitration Tribunal in an extraordinary vote.

Season to Begin on September 18
With the admission of Hockey Club Milano, the win2day ICE Hockey League will feature 14 teams from four countries going forward. The addition of the Italian metropolis further strengthens the league's international profile.

The 2026/27 season will start on Friday, September 18, 2026. The detailed game schedule will be announced at a later date.

Mountain Classic approved in principle
During the General Meeting, the clubs of the win2day ICE Hockey League expressed their commitment to staging the Mountain Classic. The planned outdoor game at the ski jumping hill in Bischofshofen, scheduled for January, is intended to create a unique event capable of attracting attention well beyond the league itself. Further organizational and infrastructural planning will now continue in cooperation with the involved partners.

ICE Vice President Erich Falkensteiner, speaking on behalf of League President Alexander Gruber:
"Today's General Meeting marks an important milestone for the win2day ICE Hockey League. We are proud that the league continues to grow and will now be contested by 14 teams. With Milan, we are not only welcoming an important hockey market to our league, but also a major European metropolis with enormous market potential. This opens up numerous opportunities for the continued development of our league, both from a sporting perspective and in terms of business and media growth. At the same time, important measures in the fields of marketing, streaming, and commercialization were approved, which will further drive our professionalization efforts. Another strong signal is the decision in principle to stage the Mountain Classic. This unique event has the potential to generate attention for the win2day ICE Hockey League far beyond the boundaries of ice hockey. We would also like to thank Viktor Szelig for his commitment and service on the executive board, and we look forward to working together with Miha Butara in the future."