Story Summary
The 2026/27 Champions Hockey League season begins with four Swedish Hockey League clubs in the field: Frölunda, Rögle, Skellefteå and Växjö. The continent-wide competition brings together 24 teams for six regular-season rounds before a 16-team knockout phase. Frölunda return as reigning champions after defeating Luleå in last season’s all-Swedish final and will be the only SHL side to open at home, against SaiPa. The three other Swedish entrants begin with away fixtures in the opening round.
Key Facts
- Four SHL teams have qualified for the 2026/27 Champions Hockey League: Frölunda, Rögle, Skellefteå and Växjö.
- Frölunda qualified as the reigning CHL champions, having beaten Luleå in the previous season’s final.
- Frölunda won their fifth CHL title in the most recent edition.
- The CHL 2026/27 features 24 teams competing across Europe.
- The regular season is played over six rounds, with each club playing three home and three away matches.
- All 24 teams are ranked in a single table, with the top 16 progressing to the knockout phase.
- The knockout rounds up to the semi-finals are played over two legs; the final is a single match.
- Opening fixtures listed: 3 Sept 17:30 HC Pilsen – Rögle; 4 Sept 18:00 HK Nitra – Skellefteå; 4 Sept 19:00 Frölunda – SaiPa; 4 Sept 19:30 Adler Mannheim – Växjö.
- Rögle were CHL champions in 2022 and had last appeared in the competition in 2023 before this return.
- Rögle open away in the Czech Republic, with a Saturday trip to Dynamo Pardubice following their match against HC Pilsen.
- HC Pilsen’s squad includes Latvian defenceman Kristian Rubins, who previously played in the SHL with Modo.
- Skellefteå are making their 11th CHL appearance. They visit HK Nitra on Friday before facing Adler Mannheim in Germany on Sunday. Nitra return after a ten-year absence; Canadian Brett Pollock previously had a spell with Södertälje in Sweden’s Allsvenskan. Växjö return after a one-season absence for their ninth appearance and open against Adler Mannheim, whose squad includes Anthony Greco and Tom Kühnhackl. SaiPa include Swedish forward Einar Emanuelsson, Petrus Palmu and Mikka Salomäki. No CHL final since 2014 has been played without Swedish participation, while Swedish clubs have won seven of the 11 tournaments.
IHM Discussion
The Champions Hockey League returns as one of the few pan-European competitions bringing together clubs from different national leagues. This season the SHL is represented by Frölunda as title holders alongside Rögle, Skellefteå and Växjö. Frölunda will draw particular attention as reigning champions and the only Swedish side opening at home, but the wider story is the depth of Swedish participation and the country’s record in the competition. The single-table regular season demands consistency across six games before the stakes rise in two-legged knockout ties.
Why It Matters
Swedish clubs have a strong pedigree in this tournament: recent history shows frequent Swedish participation in finals and a majority share of titles since 2014. For the SHL clubs involved, the CHL offers high-level European opposition early in the season, a different tactical challenge from domestic play and valuable experience for squads blending domestic and international players. For supporters and scouts it is a concentrated showcase: players with SHL experience now playing abroad – and former SHL players returning to face Swedish clubs – underline the cross-league movement that makes CHL matchups interesting and unpredictable.
Mini Q&A
How many SHL teams are in this season’s CHL?
Four SHL teams have qualified: Frölunda, Rögle, Skellefteå and Växjö.
Why is Frölunda notable in this edition of the CHL?
Frölunda enter as the reigning CHL champions, having beaten Luleå in last season’s final, and they open the tournament at home against SaiPa.
What is the CHL regular-season format?
The regular season is played over six rounds, with each team playing three home and three away matches. All 24 teams are ranked in a single table, and the top 16 advance to the knockout phase.
When and where do the Swedish teams play in the opening round?
The opening fixtures are: 3 September, 17:30 – HC Pilsen v Rögle; 4 September, 18:00 – HK Nitra v Skellefteå; 4 September, 19:00 – Frölunda v SaiPa; 4 September, 19:30 – Adler Mannheim v Växjö.
Are there any notable personnel or squad links mentioned?
Yes. HC Pilsen feature Latvian defenceman Kristian Rubins who formerly played for Modo in the SHL; HK Nitra include Canadian Brett Pollock who had a stint in Sweden’s Allsvenskan with Södertälje; Adler Mannheim’s squad has Anthony Greco and Tom Kühnhackl; SaiPa’s roster includes Swedish forward Einar Emanuelsson plus Petrus Palmu and Mikka Salomäki, both of whom briefly played in the SHL.
Coach Mark Comment
The opening schedule puts an immediate premium on travel management for the three Swedish clubs starting away from home. Rögle, Skellefteå and Växjö each face a second road fixture within days, so coaches will need to manage preparation and ice time carefully. Frölunda’s home opener offers a simpler start, but all four sides will need to establish reliable habits quickly in a six-game regular season.
What Comes Next
The opening CHL fixtures involving SHL clubs are HC Pilsen v Rögle on 3 September, followed on 4 September by HK Nitra v Skellefteå, Frölunda v SaiPa and Adler Mannheim v Växjö. The regular season runs for six rounds, with the top 16 in the combined table advancing to two-legged knockout rounds before a one-match final.
IHM Final View
The 2026/27 CHL opens with four SHL clubs in the field, led by defending champions Frölunda. The six-round regular season will quickly test consistency before the competition moves into two-legged knockout ties. Sweden’s record in the tournament gives the four entrants a strong platform, starting with a full opening schedule this week.