What will change and why?

The 2023/24 edition of the Champions Hockey League will go ahead with a new format featuring 24 participating teams instead of 32 as was the case previously. 

The basic structure of a Regular Season (formerly Group Stage) followed by the Playoffs will be in place with two key changes:

• Teams play six different opponents in the Regular Season instead of only three (teams play each other just once)
• Teams are ranked in overall standings from 1 to 24 instead of groups
   

The main reason for these changes is to level the playing field and make the competition fairer, as teams have to prove themselves against a wider selection of opponents instead of facing just three teams. 

The transition from groups to one combined standings also makes the battle to secure a Playoffs place even more competitive, making every point truly count.

Once all the Regular Season games have been played, teams ranked 1-16 in the standings will advance to the Playoffs where their opponents will be automatically assigned to them based on their position in the standings (1st vs 16th, 2nd vs 15th, etc.) - no need for a Playoff Draw like in the past.

This is also a step taken to reduce any variables - no more draw luck, teams will know who they'll face straight after the Regular Sesason ends.

How will the Regular Season fixtures be drawn?

Teams will be allocated into four pots featuring six teams each – similar to the old format. The seeding is dependent on the teams’ achievements in their national leagues and the respective league’s standing in the CHL League Ranking.

Each team is then drawn against six opponents - watch the video above for the full breakdown!

How will the Playoffs work?

No change here - all rounds will be played in a two-game, home-and-away, aggregate-scoring series except the Final.

However, there is no need for a Playoff Draw anymore.

How are places allocated?

The six Shareholder Leagues (Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Czechia) take 18 places in the new format, equally split to three representatives each. Teams qualify in their domestic leagues on sporting merits according to the following criteria:

1. National Champions
2. Regular Season Winners
3. Regular Season Runners-Up
4. Regular Season Third-Placed

The reigning CHL Champions automatically qualify for the next CHL season, granting an extra qualification place to their league. The number of participating leagues has been set at 11, meaning five Wild Card teams from Challenger Leagues will be part of every CHL season. The allocation of Wild Cards is subject to Board approval each season.