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Hi Gamers, As communicated previously, the League Administration has come to the decision that once the current ECL season has finished (end of day Thursday), any subsequent tournaments will be played with all X-factors banned. We have come to this decision based on community feedback, as well as examining the current trend of EA Sports themselves, with the battle pass becoming more and more pay-to-win - an idea that we at SportsGamer vehemently disagree with. Furthermore, a key aspect that we weighed up was the potential pros and cons of instituting a variable ban list depending on community feedback, and which traits they viewed as overpowered and which ones they viewed as underpowered. While in a perfect world we would of course like to allow players to play with minimal restrictions and be more in line with what EA envisioned for the game, we felt that considering the murkiness of some traits, and the general lack of information provided by EA as to how each trait fundamentally works (as well as interaction with others), that any discussions down the line would become prone to misinformation and negativity towards other players. As we head into the upcoming tournaments, we’d like to share a quick reminder of the current passwords to use when applying for daily competitive training games: ECLPro – for Elite / Pro and Pro / Elite Qualifying teams ECLLite – for Lite / Core teams ECLNeo – for Neo teams While we understand the desire to challenge yourself and want to play tougher teams, please respect the divisions as mentioned above for use with each password. The whole point of the password system is diminished if, for example, Core teams use the Pro password, and so on. Please also remember to avoid using abilities and special builds when playing these training games. This helps ensure fair and consistent gameplay across all divisions. Information about the upcoming ECL '26: Spring season will be available soon, so now is a good time to start thinking about your updated line-ups, if you haven't already. Thank you for your cooperation — and have fun out there! Thanks, League Administration

After a seven-game Finals series that had overtime drama, a stunning blowout, and a Game 7 for the ages, Tohtorit have been crowned Elite division champions for the ECL '26: Winter season, defeating vNexs I 4-3 in the Finals. But to understand just how much this title means, you have to start with the team they had to go through to get there.   The Elephant in the Room: vNexs I and the FINSeRe Story HAVU Gaming entered this season as the heavy favourites. Formed from the merger of Parasite and Last Dance — two of the most decorated clubs in ECL history — they were widely considered a superteam, and their regular season backed that up: first place in the Elite division with 67 points. Standing in their way in the Semifinals was a 6-seeded vNexs I side that, on paper, had no business being there — but whose playoff numbers told a very different story. @dippen04 and @AntonLxnd would finish the postseason as the two highest-scoring players in the entire division, while @pappeen- led all defencemen in points. This was not a team that got lucky. And adding a deeply personal dimension to the matchup was their goaltender @FINSeRe — a man who had spent the previous four seasons with the very club he was now trying to eliminate, winning two ECL Elite titles and a Finnish Championship along the way. This was the club he helped win in the past. And in a 4-3 Semifinal series, he and his new teammates sent them home. It was one of the great individual storylines of the ECL season, and it set the stage for a Finals run that captured the imagination of the whole community.   The Road to the Final Tohtorit, seeded second after an 18-win regular season, had their own business to take care of. They swept KUUSAMO.gg 4-0 in the Quarterfinals and then dispatched GOONS 4-1 in the Semifinals — efficient, clinical, and giving away very little. While vNexs I were making headlines with their upset run, Tohtorit were quietly doing what they do. The two teams met in the Finals as, arguably, the most deserving pairing left standing.   A Finals Series to Remember The series opened with back-to-back overtime games. @Ojala16 won Game 1 in extra time for Tohtorit after Dippen04 had put vNexs I ahead, and Pappen and Dippen04 combined to take Game 2 back for vNexs I. Two nights in, one game each, and the series already felt like it could go anywhere. Tohtorit then took control with back-to-back wins. Game 3 ended with @Kkarkass burying a gut-punch winner with one second left on the clock, and Game 4 saw @Harlowi- score twice as Tohtorit pushed to a commanding 3-1 series lead. Then vNexs I did what good teams do. Game 5 was a statement: Dippen04 completed a hat trick, AntonLxnd had a four-point night, and Pappen added four assists in a 6-3 demolition that made it clear this series wasn't over. Game 6 was another overtime classic — AntonLxnd scored a powerplay equaliser with under a minute left in regulation and then won it in overtime to force a Game 7.   Game 7: Ojala's Night When the dust settled, it came down to one man. Ojala16 scored all four of Tohtorit's goals in Game 7. He opened at 2:38 of the first, made it 2-0 in the second, and added two more in the third to close it out 4-1. @Stammer70 was immovable in net with a 94.12% save percentage. When the final buzzer went, Tohtorit were Elite champions for the first time in the club's history. Over the full seven-game series, Ojala16 was the best player on either side. Across the entire playoffs he finished among the top scorers in the division with 30 points in 16 games at a remarkable +16. As the captain and one of the founders of Tohtorit, his overtime winner in Game 1 set the tone. His Game 7 wrote the final chapter. ECL '26: Winter – Elite Champions Roster 🇫🇮 #10 Timi @Kkarkass Kärkäs 🇫🇮 #16 Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala (C) 🇫🇮 #70 Stan @Stammer70 Adamus 🇫🇮 #86 Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala 🇫🇮 #88 Jere @Harlowi- Paloranta (A) 🇫🇮 #91 Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha 🇫🇮 #96 Juuso @TheSpeedo Sirkola   Winner Interviews Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala, Captain, Left-Wing Q: Four goals in Game 7 of a Finals — take us inside that game. Were you feeling it early, or did it just happen? A: I enjoy high-pressure situations and I know I can handle them. So I just went into the game relaxed and confident. I wasn't thinking about scoring four goals. I was only thinking about winning. I believe a captain has to be able to help his team in tough moments. But I have to admit that when I scored my second goal, I started to feel like this was just the beginning. From that moment on I just wanted the puck.   Q: vNexs I pushed you to 3-3 after you were up 3-1. How did the team respond mentally going into that deciding game? A: We were still very confident even after they tied the series. We knew it's pretty hard to beat us three times in a row. Our team had experience that the opponent didn't have, and players who have proven before that they perform well in big moments even outside the NHL.   Q: You've been with Tohtorit for almost your entire career, working your way up through the divisions together. What does it mean to finally lift the Elite title with this club? A: When we started, hardly anyone would have believed we'd make it this far. A few seasons ago we decided that instead of forcing ourselves to chase a championship, we'd rather focus on having fun. Now we had fun and we won the championship. We didn't practice that much during the season, so I think our great team spirit was one of the key factors behind the title. And I have to admit, it feels pretty good to win it with your own club.   Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Goalie Q: Two overtime games, a 6-3 blowout against you, and then a Game 7 — that's a lot of emotional swings for a goalie. How do you stay locked in through a series like that? A: Staying locked in doesn't require anything special. When you play as a goalie, the most important thing is always the next situation and the next opportunity. Even though I faced one difficult game, I knew the whole time that I'm the best goalie at the moment, which gave me calmness and confidence between the pipes.   Q: Game 7, 94% save percentage, 4-1 win. What was going through your mind when that final buzzer went? A: When the final buzzer went, my head was full of different emotions. The strongest feelings, however, were pride in our team and the six-year journey of Tohtorit to reach this point. In Game 7 I made a few good saves, but an even greater performance was shown by the five players in front of me. Especially Ojala — absolutely mental game from him.   Q: Both you and FINSeRe put up near-identical numbers across the playoffs. What was it like going up against him in the Finals, and how do you reflect on the goaltending battle in this series? A: For me this was maybe the most fun goalie matchup I have ever played. In my opinion, the Finals delivered a goalie battle worthy of them. Both of us were required to make big saves at crucial moments, and I think both goalkeepers managed to do that. I truly think that without FINSeRe, vNexs I wouldn't have been anywhere close to the Finals, so they should be really pleased with how things went.   We would like to congratulate Tohtorit — Elite champions for the first time in the club's history, built from the ground up by the people who believed in it from the start. And to vNexs I, what a run. A 6-seed that toppled the division's superteam before pushing the champions all the way to Game 7. See you next season.

Voting has ended, and the winners have been announced. As the season has ended and we prepare for the next, have a look at the winners, and maybe you see yourself here next season.   Player of The Season The Top Player award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their own position. Winner: @Hydeee_24   Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Winner: @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman)   Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Winnrer: @Hullued   Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Pro season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Winner: @1mmu9     Two-Way Forward of The Season The two-way forward of the season is awarded to a forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. Winner: @Anhel_Kuru  

The ECL '26: Winter season in the Lite division is over — and Renegade IHC are champions. Coming in as the #2 seed, they carried the expectations that come with that tag and delivered on every single one of them. A 4–2 semifinal win over Tinted Visors, followed by a dominant 4–1 Finals victory over Wida — clean, clinical, and convincing. This wasn't a team that scraped through. Renegade IHC looked like the best team in the division for most of the season, and when the playoffs came, they proved it. The numbers don't lie The offensive engine for Renegade IHC was firing on all cylinders throughout the playoff run. Foppatofflan and MartindalexC combined for over 100 points between them, while NotzPanthers quietly put up one of the most productive two-way playoff performances in the division. When everyone on your top six is contributing at this level, opponents simply run out of answers. The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (Renegade IHC) Foppatofflan (A. Liljegren) — 20 GP, 75P (26G, 49A), 11 GWG, 37.1% S% MartindalexC (C. Martindale) — 20 GP, 57P (22G, 35A), 12 GWG, 26.2% S% NotzPanthers (J. Holland) — 20 GP, 57P (30G, 27A), 16 GWG, 26.3% S% KnightK10 (K. Knight) — 20 GP, 16P (5G, 11A) Komir_90 (M. Salvi) — 20 GP, 15P (1G, 10A) Calxm86: Steady when it mattered most 20 GP, 16–4–0 86.18% SV%, 1.76 GAA 6 shutouts Calxm86 (C. Mcateer-Ellis) was a consistent presence throughout 20 playoff games, posting numbers that gave his teammates the platform to go to work offensively. Sixteen wins across a full playoff run is as reliable as it gets. Renegade IHC's road to the championship Semifinals: Renegade IHC (2) 4–2 Tinted Visors (14) Finals: Renegade IHC (2) 4–1 Wida (6) ECL '26: Winter – Lite Champions roster (Renegade IHC) Skaters @Foppatofflan (A. Liljegren) @MartindalexC (C. Martindale) @NotzPanthers(J. Holland) @KnightK10 (K. Knight) @Komir_90 (M. Salvi) Goalie @Calxm41 (C. Mcateer-Ellis)

POGGERS are ECL ’26: Winter – Pro Champions after steamrolling the playoffs The ECL ’26: Winter season in the Pro division is over — and POGGERS are champions. In a Finals series that had real weight behind it, POGGERS defeated Unique 4–1, finishing the job with the kind of cold-blooded efficiency that only a veteran group can deliver. What makes this title even more impressive is how the season started. POGGERS dropped points early and looked anything but unstoppable for stretches of the group stage. But like elite teams tend to do, they corrected course, stabilized their game, and still finished the group stage in a solid position — enough to get in, because in this league, making playoffs is everything. Once the postseason starts, the slate is clean. And once the slate was clean, POGGERS looked like POGGERS again.     From last season’s disappointment to a completely different playoff identity There’s also a very real narrative here: last season, POGGERS weren’t a factor when it mattered. They entered as the #7 seed and got bounced immediately — swept in Round 1 by Almost Famous. This Winter? Different mindset, different edge, different outcome. Instead of being the experienced team that “should” win but doesn’t, they became the experienced team that turns every important moment into their comfort zone.   The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (POGGERS) JaKurrii — 20 GP, 43P (21G, 22A), 4 GWG, 43.8% S% Ghettomasi — 20 GP, 41P (20G, 21A), 6 GWG Migo_boona — 20 GP, 35P (5G, 30A) meidanmatti — 20 GP, 30P (13G, 17A) Julius97_ — 20 GP, 24P (7G, 17A)   Hullued: the safety (in) net that wins titles 20 GP, 16–2–2 87.46 SV%, 2.05 GAA 2 shutouts And when POGGERS needed shutdown goaltending — especially in the big moments — Hullued delivered.   POGGERS’ road to the championship Round 1: POGGERS (6) 4–0 NOSTREETSPORTS (3) Quarterfinals: POGGERS (13) 4–3 Puck Over Glass (1) Semifinals: POGGERS (13) 4–0 Finnish Roosters (2) Finals: POGGERS (13) 4–1 Unique (9)   ECL ’26: Winter – Pro Champions roster (POGGERS) Skaters @JaKurrii (J. Koivuniemi) @Ghettomasi (H. Raittinen) @Migo_boona (M. Nurmi)  @Yoloberg (M. Hämäläinen)  @Julius97_ (J. Rissanen) @LaurinHaavi   (J. Eerola) Goalie  @Hullued (J. Saarinen)   Congratulations to the team and all the players, see you in Elite! Thank you, all teams and readers, for this season!

We want to share an update on the timing of the National Championships (FCL/eHSM, GCL, SCL, and WECL), which have traditionally taken place between ECL seasons. After reviewing the current ECL schedule and our available preparation time, we've decided not to run the National Championships during this spring window. The ECL Winter season started later than originally planned, and with the Spring season needing to begin shortly, there simply isn't enough room to deliver these events at the standard they deserve. Our current plan is to launch the National Championships in September, aligned with the start of the new NHL 27 cycle. We believe that's the right setting for these events — when competitive energy is high, rosters are fresh, and the community is fully engaged. Running them during August also risks lower participation, as it falls during peak summer holiday season for many of our European players. More details on formats, qualification, and schedules will follow as plans are confirmed. In the meantime, if you'd like to contribute to shaping and improving the National Championships — whether through organisation, production, sponsorship connections, or other means — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me via Private Message, Discord, or hello@sportsgamer.gg. The registration for ECL '26: Spring is now open, and more details about the ECL season will be shared in the coming days.

Our ECL Player Awards vote is making a return, and all of you will have the opportunity to impact who will receive the individual awards at the end of the season. We have six categories in total, with no nominees this year, based on community feedback. Voting will open effective immediately, and we're asking you to cast your votes by Friday, February 27th at 23:59 CEST. Voting has closed List of categories and their description: Player of The Season The Top Player award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their own position. Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Pro season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Two-Way Forward of The Season The two-way forward of the season is awarded to a forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

After a brutal season of non-stop action, Europe's absolute top teams are ready for a showdown. These squads have clawed their way here through hell and back, with massive stakes beyond just hoisting the trophy. Four wins from immortality, but only one gets the crown. This finals banger deserves a rewind on their wild paths, a deep dive into the chaos ahead, plus our bold calls as always. Enough hype, let's roll into the preview and unpack how they got here.     Tohtorit Regular Season: 18-14-1-7 (63pts) 2nd in Elite Division   Quarterfinal: 4-0 vs (7) KUUSAMO.gg 5-2 W, 3-4OTW, 3-2OTW, 2-0 W   Semifinal: 4-2 vs (4) GOONS 1-5 L, 2-1 OTW, 0-1 W, 7-1 W, 0-3 W   Season Summary Tohtorit has been a dominant team for the entire regular season, right there with HAVU Gaming. They were one of the top teams this season, and with HAVU out, Tohtorit takes their spot as the favourites to win. As for the regular season, they took it upon themselves to be the best defensive team in the league. Now they're in the finals and putting their defense to the test against a team that has fought their way through hell to be here. Tohtorit's season is coming down to a best-of-seven series; now is the time to put their best foot forward and take home the trophy. In the quarterfinals, they put their defense to the test immediately against a skillful Kuusamo.gg team, with 7 goals conceded in four games, and a shutout, you could say they were successful. For any other team, yes, for Tohtorit, this was bang-average defense. With a sweep in the series, you always assume that the other team was dominated. For this series, the answer was yes and no, Kuusamo.gg challenged Tohtorit with two games going to overtime, but with great defense comes great results. For the semifinals, Tohtorit managed to take out Goons in another dominant performance; it just seems there is no stopping this Tohtorit team. Goons took a surprising game 1 win by the score of 5-2, showing the scene that this Tohtorit team isn't invincible. One of the best offensive teams in Elite, Goons took Tohtorit by surprise and had a real shot to advance, but Tohtorit adapted quickly and won four straight after that, Goons scored twice in those four games, which highlights just how unpredictable the playoffs can be. Now in the finals, Tohtorit will face vNexs, who faced off in the season opener, which Tohtorit managed to take full points, hopefully this finals series will be as tight of a series as that matchup, in which Tohtorit won both games by one goal. The playoffs are a different breed, and everybody who has ever played in the ECL playoffs at any level knows that it's just different. Now we get to see the best of the best faceoff in a thrilling battle for the ultimate prize. There is no higher prize in the ECL ladder than the Elite championship. If Tohtorit want to avoid a loss in this series, they need to take vNexs seriously. They're brimming with confidence and are ready to fire on all cylinders heading into this series. With their defense, Tohtorit have every tool in their toolbox to tear the Swedes apart as the Finns did in the Olympics. @Stammer70 is still the favourite to be the starter for Finland in the upcoming games, and now he's going to show just how good he is.   Player to Watch @Ojala16 His story has gone on for a while; he has found his best gear in the ECL this season, showing the entire ECL that he is one of the best talents in EU. Now in the finals, looking for his first championship, we'll get to see firsthand just how talented this winger really is.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @Ojala16- (9gp, 8 goals, 10 assists, 2GWG, 70 Giveaways) C - @Patzlaf- (9gp, 11 goals, 49,5 faceoff %, 15 interceptions, 42,3 shooting %) RW - @Harlowi- - (9gp, 6 goals, 21pts, 27 shots, 0GWG) LD - @Kkarkass- (9gp, 4 assists, 2 goals, 6pts, 6 PIM, 20 hits) RD - @FlyerKungen- (9gp, 2 goals, 7 assists, 9pts, 34 hits, 0 PIM) G - @Stammer70- (9gp, 8 wins, 84,78 SV%, 3 shutouts)   vNexs   Regular Season: 15-4-3-8 (56pts) 6th in Elite Division   Quarterfinal: 4-3 vs (3) Mythix 1-0 L, 6-2 W, 8-1 W, 4-2 L, 2-1 W, 2-1 L, 4-2 W   Semifinal: 4-3 vs (1) HAVU 5-0 W, 1-0 L, 0-1 L, 1-2 W, 1-0 W, 2-1 OTL, 6-1 W   Season Summary vNexs, which was quite a refreshing sight to the ECL scene when they started their journey, have teams in all ECL divisions and try to implement a system in which they promote players from within, giving players familiar play styles within the organization and a gateway for people to gain easier entry to the different divisions. Their star-studded group of Swedes has had a great season so far. I mean, they're in the finals; that's a given, but considering many had them in their preseason projections missing the playoffs, you could say they're on a tear right now. They had no easy task in the quarterfinals; their first opponent was reigning FCL champions Mythix, who were the clear favourites in this series, but vNexs showed that this was not the case. They took down Mythix in seven games and showed they lack no confidence this season. The almost full Swedish team has shown that game sevens are their speciality this season, so Tohtorit look out for this. The quarterfinals served as their show; they managed to show teams that their offense is one of the best in Elite, and the duo of @AntonLxnd & @Alpha borje are not ones to shy away from showing off their great individual talent. Nobody expected vNexs to beat Mythix, let alone HAVU Gaming in the semifinals, but they came prepared, and HAVU came in with the assumption this was a walk on the beach? Lesson learned, don't underestimate your opponent. vNexs took this series in seven games, showing everyone once again that their talent is immense, they had done their homework and exposed the ECL veteran @Hansulinho in net, and really showing the true definition of the word "underdog".  Low scoring games, combined with a few high scoring wins they held HAVU to only 6 goals in 7 games, sounds strange when the series went to seven games, but HAVU won 2 games with the score 1-0 and got shutout in another 2 games, this isn't quite what everybody expected from the number one seed, this shows how dominant @FINSeRe can be when he wants to, still one of the most accomplished players in EU and gets disrespected by a big part of the community is outrageous. Being in the finals, vNexs has the opportunity to show that not even the best defense in ECL can stop them, the showdown of best offense vs best defense is always great to see. They lost twice to Tohtorit in the regular season and have everything to play for now. Tohtorit have been great at stopping the best of wingers, but @FlyerKungen & @Kkarkass will have their hands full with the Swedish trio in offense. If the Swedish giants can now keep their production high and rely on their great goaltending, they will just see themselves in a similar situation as before in the quarterfinals and semifinals, with a real shot at winning. If vNexs can keep these games high scoring, and keep Tohtorit on their toes and behind most games, they will be in the driver's seat this series, but if the games are low-scoring the roles will be reversed. Scoring first will be of utmost importance in this series. It's still shown with statistics that the team that scores first has the better chance to win in the end, and when it comes to eHockey, no exceptions.  Interview with RW @Alpha borje We caught up with @Alpha borje before the series, and he answered a few questions.   HF - "What has been the main reason for your success this season?" AB - "The main reason for our success is the teamwork and good communication & the grind all season, I would say." HF - "Who has been the leader within your team, and what has he done to stand out?" AB- "Our leaders has been @pappeen-, and @antoniomannen004 who have been in the scene a long time and know what it takes! They help us stay calm and focused throughout the whole games! And clear in the communication."   HF - "Your rise from the Pro division into the Elite finals is quite something. What advice could you give to the new players trying to reach the same milestones as you?" AB - "My advice would be to stay patient and keep working hard. Improvement takes time! And put in the grind! Listen to the feedback!   HF - "And lastly, what do you need to do to take home the championship trophy next week?" AB - "We need to stay focused and calm the whole games, be disciplined, create chances from their mistakes, and dare to play what we do best, and last but not least have a good vibe in the party chat!"   Player to Watch @dippen04 Has found his form with vNexs, one of the best goalscoring centers in the Elite division, will now faceoff against another great center in @Patzlaf. Now he has the chance to cement himself as a top 3 center in the highest division.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @AntonLxnd - (14gp, 15 goals, 11 assists, 1GWG, 110 Giveaways) C - @dippen04 - (14gp, 16 goals, 12 assists 50,4 faceoff %, 32 takeaways, 35,6 shooting %, 6GWG) RW - @Alpha borje - (14gp, 7 goals, 19pts, 43 shots, 109 hits) LD - @pappeen- - (14gp, 19 assists, 0 goals, 19pts, 0 PIM, 38 hits) RD - @antoniomannen004 - (14gp, 0 goals, 9 assists, 9pts, 63 hits, 0 PIM, 6 shots) G - @FINSeRe - (14gp, 8 wins, 87,9 SV%, 2 shutouts, 1.36GAA)     Watch the Finals Watch the Finals live on twitch.tv/ReactioMedia, with commentary by our very own @Tougie24 Wednesday, February 18th, 20:45 CET - Games 1-2 Thursday, February 19th, 20:15 CET - Games 4-7

After a crazy season full of ups and downs, the ECL Pro division, Europe's second-tier eHockey division, is finally down to the last two teams standing. These teams have fought through thick and thin to get here, and there's a ton riding on this beyond just lifting the cup. Four wins away from advancing to the Elite division, but only one gets to take it all home. A finals this stacked deserves a quick look back at how each team made it, a real breakdown of what's coming, and our honest predictions for who walks away with the Pro title. Enough talking, let's get into it and see how they earned their spot in this thing.   UNIQUE 17-2-3-8 (58pts) Unique has had one hell of a comeback season in this season's ECL, after finishing 13th last season and ending up having to qualify for the Pro division. They eventually did it without breaking a sweat, and now sit one series win away from the Elite division, crazy isn't it? So if you're stuck in the Pro division thinking the Elite division is so far away, think again; Unique have shown that teamwork goes a long way in today's ECL.  After the qualifiers, Unique got seeded into group 1, where they instantly set the tone with massive wins against SSK Prospects. This set the tone for Unique's whole season; they knew that they had what it takes to push themselves into the playoff mix, and eventually finished 5th in their group, being bested by MoDo hockey, who had the same amount of points in the regular season and got the 4th seed by a tiebreak of wins in the regular season. Unique entered the first round matchup as somewhat favourites against a surprising vNexs ll, who had a surprising regular season. After a game 1 loss against the Swedish team, they won four in a row to secure a spot in the quarterfinals. What stood out for Unique in this series was their ability to close out the close games; they took the lead in all games and held that lead until the final buzzer, which is crucial in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, Unique had a familiar foe in Greatest, which they bested in 6 games. Once again losing the first game, they won three straight games and set themselves up to have a chokehold on the series. Unique managed to concede just once in their last 3 wins of the series, completely shutting out the high-octane offence of Greatest, who was the clear favourite in the series, showing how important @Kussan82 is to their game. In the semifinals, Unique had the upset of the Pro division, taking down heavy favourites F0CUS in seven games. In a series where both teams had shutouts, it was an interesting series to follow. @Jakeexh showed he is an elite talent, being a menace in their feat towards the final. F0CUS had the chance to take down Unique after their games on monday where they had a 2-1 series lead, but Unique showed resilience and grit in clawing their way back to win the series. Now they face POGGERS, who have had a rollercoaster of a season so far. If Unique wants to take down the former Elite team, they need to find that extra gear. POGGERS have the experience to end this series in four games. Defenseman @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman) has found his place again, now back on the blueline, he leads all defensemen in scoring (4+26) by a large margin and has shown the Pro division that he is the best defenseman in the league. If Unique wants to play in Elite next season, they need to find a way to stop the incredible offense of POGGERS. So far, they've been great at stopping the opposing team's top players, but with the finals comes added pressure and a somewhat inexperienced (compared to POGGERS) Unique team could grab the controller a bit more tightly with casters, viewers, and the pressure of Elite at the tip of their fingers. If they can keep their heads cool and their defense on point, they have every chance to win this series.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @Jakeexh - (18gp, 19 goals, 25 assists, 44pts, 4GWG, 133 Giveaways) C - @tonninen - (18gp, 12 goals, 51,6 faceoff %, 21 blocked shots, 10 PIM) RW - @Ribbeex - (18gp, 19 goals, 41pts, 80 shots, 4GWG) LD - @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman) - (18gp, 26 assists, 4 goals, 30pts, 0 PIM, 64 hits) RD - @pakjiz - (18gp, 3 goals, 16 assists, 19pts, 52 hits, 2 PIM) G - @Kussan82  - (18gp, 12 wins, 83,21 SV%, 3 shutouts)   POGGERS14-4-2-10 (52pts) After a rocky start to the season where POGGERS lost important points, they eventually gathered themselves like the top team they are, they finished the group stage in 6th position. Now they face the 5th placed Unique, who they played against in the regular season, which goes to show that all that matters is making the playoffs; after that, it's a whole new game. POGGERS have shown for many seasons what they're capable of and can beat any team, on any day of the week if they feel like it. POGGERS had an ok season last season, they took the 7th seed and got swept by Almost Famous in the 1st round. This season has been quite different for the veteran team. The regular season was filled with interesting matchups, and they faced one of the hottest teams in Pro in the 1st round, NOSTREETSPORTS. POGGERS went into the 1st round as heavy underdogs and proved everyone wrong. They swept the youngster team in four games, which seemed not even close. NOSTREET couldn't get anything going, and POGGERS took advantage, ending the series in an orderly fashion. With the sweep in the 1st round, POGGERS were brimming with confidence and faced the number one-seeded Puck Over Glass and the division's top scorer; this didn't faze the veteran team one bit as they took them down in a different way, in seven games. Games went both ways the entire series, as all games but one or two were one-goal games. This is where POGGERS shine, they take home tight games with a scary percentage, and this finals series is no exception as they head into the finals series as slight favourites. In the semifinals, they faced a similar foe in Finnish Roosters; both teams have been around for ages, and it showed as POGGERS completely outplayed Finnish Roosters and swept them in a similar manner as they did with their round 1 opponent. Finnish Roosters seemed to have used their energy in past matchups, as we saw a lifeless version of the team that cruised to a group win in the regular season. This shows how strong a team POGGERS is. @Hullued had a monster of a series, conceding only 1.5 goals per game, now facing a more creative team in Unique, his skillset will be invaluable to the defense of POGGERS. Now POGGERS will face another high-octane offense with a great defense, and @JaKurrii has been their lifeline in these playoffs. As always, he has the talent to play in Elite, but as a veteran of the game, he's been leading POGGERS for a long time, and now is a good time show his true talent. Unique has a relatively new squad that has all the talent in the world to beat POGGERS, but the veteran team has what is needed the most in these clutch moments, and that's experience. As the whole team has played together for a long time, they all play the same playbook for the whole 60 minutes, which is invaluable and difficult to create. If POGGERS want to advance, they need to play the same kind of defense they displayed in both series sweeps. They have a reputation of being sloppy when games don't matter that much, and that needs to be kept in check for the entire series. They can play the game in a way that is incredibly difficult to counter, with swift hands, pre-made tactics are always the most difficult thing to defend against, even if you can see it coming from a mile away. POGGERS have mastered that in the Pro division; if they can score on set plays, they'll win this series.   Projected Starting Lineup LW - @JaKurrii - (15gp, 18 goals, 18 assists, 36pts, 4GWG, 77:36 TwP, 75 hits) C - @Yoloberg (meidanmatti) - (15gp, 9 goals, 44,3 faceoff %, 19 blocked shots, 8 PIM) RW - @Ghettomasi - (15gp, 9 goals, 30pts, 39 shots, 4GWG) LD - @Julius97_ - (15gp, 13 assists, 4 goals, 17pts, 6 PIM, 56 hits) RD - @Migo_boona - (15gp, 3 goals, 17 assists, 20pts, 24 hits, 8 PIM) G - @Hullued - (15gp, 12 wins, 86,96 SV%, 1 shutouts)   Matchup to Watch @Kussan82 vs @Hullued: Follow this pair, as the outfielders have a tight battle ahead of them; this matchup will be the key to the championship. Kussan has raised the bar on his game all season long and led Unique to this point. And Hullued has just gotten better as the stakes have gotten bigger. Whoever can play better carries their team to the cup.   Predictions Hifk_FANI: POGGERS in 6 @1mmu9: Unique in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: POGGERS in 6 @MCH_98: Unique in 7   Broadcasts Watch this series on Monday, games 1-3 (+4 if series is 3-0) in Finnish on https://www.twitch.tv/mkine. The series continues on Tuesday in Finnish, games 4-7 in English on https://www.twitch.tv/reactiomedia.

Since 2015, the ECL has been the definitive stage for competitive eHockey in Europe. Now entering its 22nd season, the league continues to evolve — and ECL '26: Spring introduces a significant gameplay shift with all X-Factor and Superstar abilities banned, creating the most skill-pure environment the ECL has ever seen.     ECL '26: Winter has just wrapped up — Tohtorit claimed the title, and now all eyes turn to Spring. Rosters are being rebuilt, rankings have been reset, and for many teams, this is the season to make a move. With abilities banned across the board, the ice is level. What happens next is entirely up to you.   The European Championship League (ECL) is Europe’s premier competitive league for organized 6v6 eHockey, played in the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise. Featuring multiple divisions from Elite to Neo, as well as a 1v1 competition, the ECL offers players of all skill levels a structured and competitive environment. Every skater and goaltender is fully human-controlled, with all games played in EASHL mode on PlayStation and Xbox. Established in 2015, the ECL now enters its 22nd season with a thriving community of players. The league also features ECL 1v1, introduced in the ECL ’23 Winter season, where Europe’s best solo players compete for the championship.   Basic information/requirements of ECL: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format; however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.   Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.   ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘26: Spring team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘26: Player License or ECL ‘26: Spring Player License before taking the ice. The Player License is also required in the Qualifiers. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '26: Spring Neo Player License. You will find more information about the licenses below in this article. Teams may also register up to three backup players, who can be used as substitutes during the season. Each backup may appear in a maximum of 10 games combined across both the Winter and Spring seasons, including qualifiers, regular season, and playoffs. All backups must be listed on the team’s official roster before participating in any game.     The sign-ups close on the below-mentioned dates: ECL Pro Qualifier: 23.3.2026 ECL Elite: 23.3.2026 ECL Pro: 23.3.2026 ECL Lite: 2.4.2026 ECL Core: 2.4.2026 ECL Neo: 2.4.2026 * Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified. ⚠️ Please note: Failing to register for a higher-level division in time does NOT entitle registration and participation in a lower division for a team that is unfit to play at a lower level.   Schedule This section briefly describes the key dates for the ECL '26: Spring season. For a more detailed breakdown, see the ECL '26: Spring - Information & Key Dates Qualifiers: The schedule for the qualifiers will be tight — as usual, to allow the maximum time for sign-ups. In most cases, you'll play on 3–4 of the evenings below. We're publishing all possible dates upfront so you can plan ahead — not because we expect to use all of them. Pro Qualifier starts 25.3.2026 | Please prepare to play on the dates below*. Gameday 1:  Wednesday 25.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 2: Thursday 26.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 3: Sunday 29.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 4: Monday 30.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 5: Wednesday 1.4 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 6: Thursday 2.4 | 2 Opponents, 4 games *Please treat all dates as reserved until further notice. Most teams will not need to play on all dates, but in order to guarantee the fairest outcome, we want to have enough game days available, if necessary.   Elite Qualifier starts: 25.3.2026 (if necessary) The exact details will be shared once the number of teams participating is known. Regular Season duration: 6.4 - 8.5.2026 eHockey World Cup Break: 12.-24.5.2026 (read about the eHockey World Cup) Playoffs duration: 25.5 - 28.6.2026* * The exact details for the playoffs and division finals will be communicated once the final number of teams per division is known.       Free Agents & Teams Looking for Players Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster? If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here. If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here. Need more help? Check out the "How to Find a Team or Players for Your Team" article!   Early Bird Offer on Player and Team Licenses Below you’ll find the pricing of the team and player licenses for ECL ‘26: Spring, available now. During the first few days, you will be able to pick up the ECL ‘26: Spring Team license for the Super Early Bird pricing listed below. After that, we will offer a slightly elevated Early Bird Price from March 16th, and finally regular pricing from March 23rd onward. If you're a team looking to use your previous winnings toward a license, please contact support for assistance.   ECL '26: SPRING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE - BROWSE BY USING THIS LINK The ECL Neo division does not require a team license; however, ECL Neo players are required to have an active Player license at a cost of 10 EUR per season. Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.   The ECL prize pool will be determined directly by community participation. Each season, a share of the collected license-fee income is distributed back to players as prize money across all divisions. How it works For the ECL ’26: Spring season, at least 35% of net license-fee income (after VAT and transaction fees) will be paid out as prize money. The initial prize pool estimate will be published a bit after the start of the season, based on confirmed team and player purchases at that time. If additional licenses are purchased during the season, the final prize pool will be adjusted accordingly and disclosed once all registrations are complete. Previously purchased full-year license fees are evenly divided between the Winter and Spring seasons. Why this structure? Prize pool shares reflect each division’s competitive level and progression within the ECL structure — ensuring that advancement through the divisions is both meaningful and rewarding. The distribution between divisions remains consistent with previous ECL seasons. For more specific information about the division-specific prize pool distribution, please see this forum post.     Rule Changes The updated ECL '26: Spring rules will be available soon. For now, you can refer to the ECL '26: Winter Official Rules, however, keep in mind especially the major adjustments mentioned below. All team captains are expected to familiarize themselves with the rulebook before the season begins. Here's a snapshot of some of the major adjustments/additions compared to ECL ‘26: Winter: 11.7.: Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds section has been significantly updated - All Abilities are now banned and not to be used. Some final details, as a closer approximation of the prize pool, will be updated to the rules closer to the start of the season. League Administration will be keeping a close eye on teams and players trying to sign up for a division below their perceived skill level, and rules around this will be more clearly defined as a means of clearer transparency Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds You can read about and discuss player abilities and bans here. Are there some rule-related changes we’ve missed? Now is your chance to discuss and suggest what type of changes you would like to see in the rulebook.   PLEASE NOTE: ECL '26: SPRING 1v1 SIGNUPS WILL LAUNCH SOON.   ECL '26: Spring is shaping up to be one of the most wide-open seasons in recent memory — new rules, refreshed rosters, and a fresh set of rankings. Whether you're a returning champion or signing up for the very first time, this is your shot.  🔗 Sign up now and be part of the action!

SportsGamers, This news story is intended to help understand the ECL Ranking for teams at the end of the ECL '26: Winter season. This ranking determines the eligibility for teams entering various divisions this upcoming ECL '26: Spring season.  Below you will find a list of teams that have secured a division spot at the Elite, Pro, or Lite league level. If you didn't find your team on the list, don't worry! You can apply for a wildcard spot for your team in the Pro qualifiers or apply to the Lite, Core, or Neo divisions, which are open to everyone. Please note that the Qualifiers will be starting very soon, and the registration time will be short, so start mentally and psychologically preparing for them as we look to release the details regarding the ECL '26: Spring season. Season registration is now available by clicking here.   Elite 1 Elite 🏆 Tohtorit 2 Elite 🥈 vNexs I 3 Elite 3 HAVU Gaming 4 Elite 4 GOONS 5 Elite 5 Mythix 6 Elite 6 Umpikuja 7 Elite 7 KUUSAMO.gg 8 Elite 8 ROBE Esports 9 Elite 9 AFTERLIFE 10 Elite 10 Polski Boys 11 Elite 11 Tiki x Pwolle 12 Elite 12 Kastikekauppa Esports 13 ▶ Elite 13 EXEN/F0CUS 14 ▶ Elite 14 SSK ESPORTS 15 ▶ Elite 15 Vizio 16 ▲ Pro 🥇 POGGERS       Elite Qualifiers (if needed) 1 ▼ Elite 16 VESUVIUS ESPORTS 2 Pro 2 Unique 3 Pro 3 Finnish Roosters 4 Pro 4 EXEN/F0CUS 5 Pro 5 Puck Over Glass 6 Pro 6 GREATEST 7 Pro 7 xBots 8 Pro 8 Aspyre             Pro 1 ▼ Elite 16 VESUVIUS ESPORTS 2 Pro 2 Unique 3 Pro 3 Finnish Roosters 4 Pro 4 EXEN/F0CUS 5 Pro 5 Puck Over Glass 6 Pro 6 GREATEST 7 Pro 7 xBots 8 Pro 8 Aspyre 9 Pro 9 Carpe Diem 10 Pro 10 NOSTREETSPORTS 11 Pro 11 vNexs II 12 Pro 12 MoDo Hockey 13 Pro 13 Deadly Phantoms 14 Pro 14 SSK Prospects 15 Pro 15 Otukset 16 Pro 16 Rusty X 17 Pro 17 Vesuvius Academy 18 Pro 18 Turun Gasellit 19 Pro 19 Brynäs IF Esport 20 Pro 20 The Oldtimers 21 Pro 21 REIVILUOLA 22 Pro 22 HC Lugano eSports 23 ▲ Lite 🥇 Renegade IHC 24 ▲ Lite 🥈 Wida 25 ▲ Lite 🥉 Conexion   Pro Qualifier Wildcard procedure has been updated Anyone can now apply to play in the ECL '26: Spring - Pro Qualifiers by checking the appropriate box during season registration. While the Wildcard restrictions have been lifted and there are no absolute requirements for applying, League Administration will still review Qualifier Applications (identified by PRO QUAL REQ on the registered teams page). As such, teams with more experience still have a better chance of making the cut and playing in the Qualifiers. All teams will be notified once the decisions have been made. To be properly evaluated for the Qualifier spot, please have your full roster in your SportsGamer ECL '26: Spring roster as early as possible. The number of available Wildcard spots may vary depending on the quality of the applications.   What if all Pro Qualifier positions are not filled? Teams will not be promoted straight, and all open spots will be filled through qualifiers (excluding automatically relegated/promoted teams). If there happen to be more open spots than anticipated (e.g., from teams disbanding, which would have been invited to play in the qualifier), spots are filled as follows: Pro relegated teams Wildcard teams Lite #17-32 Pro Qualifiers 1 Pro 23 Golden Sticks 2 Pro 24 DEG eSports 3 Pro 25 Lemmenvelhot 4 Pro 26 NOVA 5 Pro 27 Pasilan SKA 6 Pro 28 Including Me 7 Lite 4 Tinted Visors 8 Lite 5 vNexs Vipers 9 Lite 6 Fallen Rangers 10 Lite 7 Kokemus Puuttuu 11 Lite 8 Hockeyholics 12 Lite 9 Veterankraft 13 Lite 10 Supernatural 14 Lite 11 Pata Hellalla 15 Lite 12 HC KOROBKA 16 Lite 13 HC VADELMA 17 Lite 14 M3 Esports 18 Lite 15 SSK Academy 19 Lite 16 Bladerunners HC 20 Wildcard   21 Wildcard   22 Wildcard   23 Wildcard   24 Wildcard         Lite 1 ▼ Pro 29 Saucer Hockey 2 ▼ Pro 30 Sunne IK Esport 3 ▼ Pro 31 Jagrs in Paradise 4 ▼ Pro 32 6 MAN AVALANCHE (DNF) 5 Lite 17 VBO STARS 6 Lite 18 Sopranos 7 Lite 19 KELAGOLDCARD HC 8 Lite 20 HC Nova Hut 9 Lite 21 ARMEIJAN KURI 10 Lite 22 TROJANS 11 Lite 23 Jurricanes 12 Lite 24 SSK Adepts 13 Lite 25 Invasion Hockey 14 Lite 26 Macho HC 15 Lite 27 Nordic Nosebleed 16 Lite 28 Hc Kasapallo 17 Lite 29 German Ice Gladiators 18 Lite 30 Eisbaeren Gaming 19 Lite 31 MIELENSAPAHOITTAJAT 20 Lite 32 MIESKISSAT 21 Lite 33 Game Over Esports 22 Lite 34 Silver Sword Griffins 23 Lite 35 TeNo 24 Lite 36 Dynamo IHC 25 Lite 37 FatBurritos 26 Lite 38 Iserlohn Roosters eSports 27 ▲ Core🥇 HC Lisko 28 ▲ Core 🥈 HC Punishers 29 ▲ Core 🥉 German Elite Hockey 30 ▲ Core 4 Chlastpumpy 31 ▲ Core 5 German Elite Hockey 32 ▲ Core 6 Chlastpumpy 33 ▲ Core 7 Torspot 34 ▲ Core 8 Hungry Bears 35 ▲ Core 7 HCP eSports 36 ▲ Core 8 Pullasorsat HC   All teams without an Elite, Pro, or Lite league spot can participate and choose to apply for ECL Lite without restrictions. There will be no ECL Lite qualifier for ECL '26: Spring, but a maximum of 64 teams can participate in the season, so signing up on time is encouraged. Spots will be filled in the order of registration. As always, League Administration will monitor sign-ups and reserve the right to step in to make sure teams don't sign up too high or low compared to their perceived skill level.

The ECL '26: Winter season in the Core division is over — and HC Lisko are champions. Coming in as the #9 seed, nobody was handing them anything. But HC Lisko didn't need anyone to hand them anything — they went out and took it. Their playoff road tells the whole story: a 4–0 dismantling of German Elite Hockey (4) in the semis, and a 4–2 victory over the heavily favored #2 seed HC Punishers in the Finals. The higher seed didn't matter. The bracket didn't matter. When the moments were biggest, Lisko was best. The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (HC Lisko) Supra_90 (V. Puupponen) — 23 GP, 63P (40G, 23A), 6 GWG, 53.3% S% eipaapaa (T. Lähde) — 25 GP, 58P (22G, 36A), 7 GWG, 21% S% Zambouni_ (S. Heikkilä) — 25 GP, 53P (13G, 40A), 7 GWG, 20.6% S% Vertti91 (V. Komulainen) — 25 GP, 32P (8G, 24A) Tero__Nuppi (P. Lepola) — 25 GP, 21P (1G, 20A) Laspar: The backbone of a championship run 25 GP, 20–3–2 84.62% SV%, 1.92 GAA 4 shutouts Twenty wins. Four shutouts. Laspar (L. Koos) was the anchor HC Lisko needed, and he delivered it across 25 playoff games. That kind of consistency over a long postseason run doesn't happen by accident. HC Lisko's road to the championship Semifinals: HC Lisko (9) 4–0 German Elite Hockey (4) Finals: HC Lisko (9) 4–2 HC Punishers (2)   ECL '26: Winter – Core Champions roster (HC Lisko) Skaters @eipaapaa (T. Lähde) @Zambouni_ (S. Heikkilä) @Supra_90 (V. Puupponen) @Vertti91(V. Komulainen) @Tero__Nuppi (P. Lepola) @tolbati (A. Koukidis) @mogambomoroo (G. Velinov) Goalie @Laspar (L. Koos) Congratulations HC Lisko — Core '26 Winter Champions. 🏆

AAkerho are ECL '26: Winter – Neo Champions after a dominant playoff run The ECL '26: Winter season in the Neo division is over — and AAkerho are champions. Neo is the lowest division in the ECL system, but this title is anything but small — this is where journeys begin, and AAkerho showed exactly what kind of team they are. AAkerho moved through the playoffs with the efficiency and cold-bloodedness that only a well-organized team can deliver. Kekymasa and Simppa711 dominated offensively throughout, while goaltender Stevie_harvey  stood as a wall behind them — posting an 87.31% save percentage and 1.79 GAA across the playoff run.   The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (AAkerho) Kekymasa (M. Loppi) — 19 GP, 65P (36G, 29A), 5 GWG, 28.3% S% Simppa711 (S. Darby) — 19 GP, 62P (23G, 39A), 4 GWG, 27.7% S% NUPENVIINA (H. Björninen) — 19 GP, 45P (15G, 30A), 26.8% S% janindou (J. Kaskela) — 19 GP, 21P (5G, 16A) Baskis (H. Pantti) — 16 GP, 9P (1G, 8A) Stevie_harvey: The foundation that wins titles 19 GP, 15–3–1 87.31% SV%, 1.79 GAA 1 shutout When AAkerho needed a big save in a crucial moment, Stevie_harvey delivered. That kind of goaltending wins championships — and it did here. ECL '26: Winter – Neo Champions roster (AAkerho) Skaters @keky-MASA @Simppa711 @portsari2  @Nupenviina  @janindou  @Baskis2  @Anssiventero  @hulcci  @Leoliina Goalie @Stevie_harvey Head Coach / Manager @Drhockey    Congratulations AAkerho — Neo '26 Winter Champions. 🏆

After a successful run at the 2025 SG World Cup, we’re excited to announce a brand-new, official eHockey World Cup tournament for the NHL esports scene! History of the tournament 2025 saw the first ever global national team 6v6-tournament, featuring a grand total of 15 national teams and a 16th “SG World” team to represent the rest of the world. In the end team Canada were crowned champions, after defeating team Finland in a stunning finals series by the aggregate score of 21-20. Team USA captured 3rd place over Sweden in a crushing 20-8 aggregate score victory. World eHockey Association The World eHockey Association was founded in December 2025 to promote international eHockey operations. The Association's objective is to bring the yearly national team tournament to LAN by 2027. eHockey World Cup 2026 - “Road to LAN” The eHockey World Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place in May, starting on Tuesday, May 12th, and ending on Sunday, May 24th. As it marks the first year of official tournament status, it is intended to be run with a very similar format to the SG World Cup in 2025, with ultimately the top 10 nations qualifying for the 2027 eHockey World Cup A-division, which is planned to be hosted as a live event. Due to being hosted purely online, the 2026 tournament will feature each stage of the tournament being played as a best-of-two or best-of-four aggregate score competition. Games will be broadcast on the official World eHockey Association YouTube channel. Format The key change to the tournament's structure comes from the addition of a B-division, which is open for any new nations. In 2026, the A-division consists of the following nations based on the WEHA World Ranking: Canada Finland USA Sweden Latvia Germany Norway Slovakia Czechia Switzerland Austria France The B-division is open for any new national team entries, with the following three nations having established their spot in the division: Ukraine Great Britain Denmark We’re actively looking to add more nations to our World Cup tournament! Please contact us on our Discord server to set up your national team. Even if you don’t currently have enough players to participate, please let us know you’re interested so we can connect you with others from your nation. Captaincy and team selection In 2026, the team rosters will be chosen by team captains. The captain will be voted on by the members of the national team's predecessor, the SG World Cup 2025 team. Strategic partnerships The World eHockey Association has made strategic partnerships together with SportsGamer as well as Leaguegaming. These platforms will be hosting the eHockey World Cup, meaning all standings, statistics, and news about the eHockey World Cup will be available through both of these officially recognized WEHA regional partners. Our objective at the World eHockey Association Our ultimate goal is to bring this yearly tournament here to stay. The World eHockey Association operates on non-profit principles, meaning it relies on membership fees, donations and commercial partnerships to strive for its objectives. On a more general note, the World eHockey Association is committed to serving the community around it with the focus on building a more approachable esports scene for viewers and partners. Help us reach our goals by watching the eHockey World Cup live on our YouTube channel, following us on all platforms, and sharing our project with friends! If you want to support more, please reach out to any of the World eHockey Association board members. Read more about us on our World eHockey Association Discord server. Follow us on social media: YouTube Instagram X TikTok Useful links: eHockey World Cup 2026 rulebook eHockey World Cup 2026 schedule The World eHockey Association Discord

  The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 21st. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season.   Basic information/requirements of ECL: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.   Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.   ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘26: Spring team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘26: Player License or ECL ‘26: Winter Player License before taking the ice. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '26: Spring Neo Player License. More information about licenses will be available in the "Sign up now" article, coming soon.   Rules: The ECL '26: Spring rulebook will be an updated version of the '26 Winter rulebook and will be shared soon. The Spring season will be played without Abilities.   The divisions framework for the ECL ‘26 year will follow the same logic as for previous seasons. We will have a total of five divisions with the following team allocation: Elite 16 teams Pro 32 teams Lite 64 teams Core (up to) 128 teams and Neo 32+ teams.   Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division. Generally speaking, teams that are new to the ECL will start in the Neo or Core division. However, it is possible to apply for the ECL Lite if you believe you can compete at that level.   Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster? If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here. If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here.     Hall of Fame: The ECL Champions so far ECL 6v6: ECL 1: Nordic Blizzard ECL 2: Mukimiehet ECL 3: X Factor ECL 4: Laser HT ECL 5: Aapon Taikasauva ECL 6: Carlsberg HC ECL 7: FILADELPHIA ECL 8: Written In the Stars ECL 9: Linköping HC ECL 10: HAVU Gaming ECL 11: FILADELPHIA ECL 12: hREDS ECL '22: Grand Champion: hREDS ECL '22 Winter: hREDS ECL '22 Spring: hREDS ECL '23: Grand Champion: Tunnel Vision ECL '23 Winter: Tunnel Vision ECL '23 Spring: Tunnel Vision ECL '24: Winter Champion: hREDS ECL '24: Spring Champion: Tunnel Vision ECL '25: Winter Champion: Parasite ECL '25: Spring Champion: Last Dance ECL '26: Winter Champion: Tohtorit   ECL 1v1: ECL '23: Winter: Sisu "sisu33_" Nurminen ECL '23: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen ECL '24: Grand Champion: Teemu "Temppanen" Karvonen ECL '24: Winter: Erik "EkiOriginal" Tammenpää ECL '24: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen ECL '25: Spring: Teemu "Teemuyy" Polttila ECL '26: Winter: TBC on Thursday 12.3.2026

Hello everyone, We’ve received a number of questions about the private game passwords that have been used in recent years for organizing competitive training games within the community. As we head into the upcoming tournaments, we’d like to share a quick reminder of the current passwords to use when applying for daily competitive training games: ECLPro – for Elite / Pro and Pro / Elite Qualifying teams ECLLite – for Lite / Core teams ECLNeo – for Neo teams While we understand the desire to challenge yourself and want to play tougher teams, please respect the divisions as mentioned above for use with each password. The whole point of the password system is diminished if, for example, Core teams use the Pro password, and so on. Please also remember to use only the currently permitted abilities and builds when playing these training games. This helps ensure fair and consistent gameplay across all divisions. Thank you for your cooperation — and have fun out there!