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Hey Gamers, The groups and schedules for each ECL '26: Pre-Season level is now available and you can start reaching out to your fellow captains to confirm game times and reschedule where necessary. Get your lineups ready and hit the ice — the ECL ‘26 Pre-Season starts now ECL Pre-Season Information Elite & Pro See schedule here Only ECL Elite & ECL Pro teams, and by special request wildcard & qualifier teams This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases) Regular season 30.10-10.11 Teams are divided into two groups Top 4 from each group makes it into the playoffs Playoffs (BO5) 13.-16.11 (Quarterfinals) 17.-20.11 (Semifinals) 23-25.11 (Finals) Lite & Core See schedule here Only ECL Lite & ECL Core teams, and by special request wildcard teams & qualifier teams This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases) Regular season 30.10-10.11 Teams are divided into ten groups Top 3 from each group, plus the best two #4 teams make it into the playoffs Playoffs (BO3) 12-13.11 (RO32) 16.-17.11 (RO16) 19.-20.11 (Quarterfinals) 23-25.11 (Semifinals) 27.11 (Finals) Neo & Newcomers See schedule here Only ECL Neo & Newcomer teams This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases) Regular season 30.10-12.11 Teams are divided into six groups Top 2 from each group, plus the best four #3 teams make it into the playoffs. Playoffs (BO3) 13-14.11 (RO16) 16.-17.11 (Quarterfinals) 19.-20.11 (Semifinals) 23-24.11 (Finals) Uniform and logo unlocks for organizations This form is intended for organizations associated with SportsGamer to request primarily uniform and logo unlocks in order to represent their team appropriately. Here is a link for the unlocks form: https://forms.gle/3RezYrzCm1yZFFdU9 Rules Although the Pre-Season Tournament will not be under as strict scrutiny as the ECL, we want to remind you to respect your opponents and go about the games just as you would when playing real ECL league matchups. Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans If teams are tied in points after the group stage, we will utilize these usual tie-breakers: Wins (including OT-wins) Head-to-head record (points in mutual games) Goal difference (across all games played) Scored goals (across all games played) We hope you're as excited as we are to get back into the action - build your team, sign up, and have fun! 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. Basic information/requirements of ECL: The tournament will be played on the NHL 26 (PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S) 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: Winter 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: Winter Neo Player License. The ECL '26 Pre-Season tournament does not require the license, Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans

ECL ’26: Winter Sign-Ups Open – Time for a New Season of European eHockey The new ECL ’26: Winter season is approaching, and registration is now open for teams and players across Europe. The ECL is the leading European competition played in the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise, featuring structured divisions for all skill levels. Since 2015, the European Championship League (ECL) has been the main stage for competitive eHockey in Europe, bringing together players in a 6v6 format where every position on the ice is player-controlled. With divisions suited for all levels—from newcomers to top-tier teams—the ECL continues to offer a structured and competitive environment for everyone looking to test their skills. This winter marks the start of another competitive chapter in European eHockey. As teams prepare their rosters and strategies, anticipation builds for what’s to come. With registration now open, the new season offers every team a chance to prove themselves on the ice. 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 21st 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: Winter 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: Winter Neo Player License. You will find more information about the licenses lower 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 ECL '26 Pre-Season tournament does not require the license Rules: ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules. The sign-ups close on the below-mentioned dates: ECL '26 Pre-Season: 28.10.2025 ( ℹ️ Click to read more) Pro Wildcard Battle: 3.11.2025 ECL Pro Qualifier: 9.11.2025 ECL Elite: 9.11.2025 ECL Pro: 9.11.2025 ECL Lite: 9.11.2025 ECL Core: 27.11.2025 ECL Neo: 27.11.2025 * Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified. Schedule This section briefly describes the key dates for the ECL '26: Winter season. For a more detailed breakdown, see the ECL '26: Winter - Information & Key Dates Qualifiers: The schedule for the qualifiers will be tight - as usual, to allow the maximum time for sign-ups - so please prepare to play quite intensely during the qualifiers stage. Pro Wildcard Battle: 5.11 - 6.11 (if necessary) Pro Qualifier starts 11.11 Elite Qualifier starts: 11.11 (if necessary) The exact details will be shared once the number of teams participating is known. Regular Season duration: 30.11 - 15.1 Playoffs duration: 18.1 - 28.2* * 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! Get a feel for the action before the official ECL ’26: Winter season begins! Our free pre-season tournament lets both new and returning teams test their chemistry, practice under competitive settings, and finalize their rosters ahead of sign-ups. Participation is open to all — no license required. It’s the perfect opportunity to warm up before the ECL ’26: Winter regular season begins! 📅 Pre-Season Tournament Sign-ups are open until 12:00 CET, October 28th ℹ️ Read more and sign-up for the Pre-Season Tournament Early Bird Offer on Player and Team Licenses Below you’ll find the upcoming pricing of the team and player licenses for ECL ‘26, available from November 16th. For the first few days, you will be able to pick up the ECL ‘26: Winter Team license and the ECL ‘26: Player License (Winter + Spring) for the Super Early Bird pricing listed below. After that, we will offer a slightly elevated Early Bird Price from November 20th and finally regular pricing from November 25th onward. If you're a team looking to use your previous winnings toward a license, please contact support for assistance. ECL '26 LICENSES WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 16, 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: Winter 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 before the start of the season, based on confirmed team and player registrations 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. 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 the ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules or this forum post. Rule Changes The updated ECL '26: Winter Official Rules are now available. 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 ‘25: Spring: 9.2.3.: Players taking the face-off are strictly forbidden from reverse hitting directly following the face-off 11.7.: Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds section has been significantly updated Some final details, as a closer approximation of the prize pool, will be updated to the rules closer to the start of the season. 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: WINTER 1v1 SIGNUPS WILL LAUNCH LATER THIS YEAR. The ECL ’26: Winter season marks the next step in our ongoing commitment to structured, high-quality European eHockey competition. Whether you’re joining for the first time or returning to defend your title, we look forward to seeing you on the ice this winter. 🔗 Sign up now and be part of the action!

Hello, ECL Community! The debate around X-Factors, abilities, and player builds in competitive EASHL continues to be one of the most discussed topics within our community. Over the past month after the NHL 26 release, we’ve followed your conversations closely — in Discord threads, party chats, and private messages — and we want to thank everyone who has contributed to this discussion. This season, our goal has been twofold: To maintain a fair and consistent competitive environment for all divisions, and To strengthen alignment with our North American counterparts so that competitive 6v6 hockey moves forward together on both sides of the Atlantic. We’ve been in regular contact with our North American counterparts to share experiences, discuss balancing, and explore ways to create a more unified competitive environment. In addition, SportsGamer and other league representatives will take part in an upcoming conversation with EA SPORTS to exchange insights on gameplay balance, abilities, and the overall direction of EASHL. These discussions are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that community feedback from both regions is heard and considered as the game continues to evolve. We believe that sharing unified feedback and experiences from both regions will help shape the next steps for the entire EASHL ecosystem. ECL ’26: Winter Restrictions (updated October 29th) After extensive discussion and testing, the League Administration has decided to continue restricting several player Abilities and Builds that were found to have a disproportionate impact on gameplay. The following restrictions apply across all ECL divisions for the ECL ’26: Winter season. 🛑 Banned Abilities All tiers (Gold, Blue, and Red) of the following abilities are banned: Big Rig Big Tipper Elite Edges Hipster No Contest Pressure+ Spark Plug Truculence Unstoppable Warrior (Added October 29th) Wheels These abilities have shown to create unbalanced or unintended gameplay advantages, reducing the importance of player skill and positioning. Specifically, as a category, we have wanted to slow down the gameplay by prohibiting abilities that add significant speed boosts. The bans help ensure that all players compete on an even playing field, where awareness and execution matter most. ⚔️ Position-Based Build Restrictions To further preserve role balance and gameplay authenticity: Forwards cannot use defensive classes: Defensive Defender, Enforcer Defender, Offensive Defender, Two-Way Defender, Puck Moving Defender Defenders cannot use forward classes: Dangler, Enforcer, Grinder, Playmaker, Power Forward, Sniper, Two-Way Forward Additionally, skaters and goalies cannot use special characters or custom character builds. 🧾 Enforcement Violations of the above bans will be handled as follows: 1st Infraction – Team captain warning + player suspended for 2 games + potential WO loss* 2nd Infraction – Second captain warning + full lineup warning + player suspended for 4 games + potential WO loss* 3rd Infraction – Captain suspended for 2 games + player suspended for 4 games + 2-point deduction + potential WO loss* *A Walkover (WO) loss will only apply if the offending team was clearly informed and continued to use banned Abilities or Builds afterward. Clear video evidence is required when reporting violations. You can view the full ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules here. Looking Forward While the overall ability structure remains similar to previous seasons, the addition of position-based build restrictions represents another step toward a stronger global standard. As always, we’ll continue to monitor gameplay trends and community feedback throughout the Winter season and forward your feedback directly to EA SPORTS. Thank you once again for your ongoing passion and input — it’s what continues to drive the ECL forward. Best regards, League Administration

  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: Winter 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: Winter Neo Player License. More information about licenses will be available closer to the season start.   Rules: The ECL '26: Winter rulebook will be an updated version of the '25 Spring rulebook and will be shared soon.    The divisions framework for the ECL ‘26 season 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 qualifications to prove that 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 '26: Spring Champion: Last Dance   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

SportsGamers, This news story is intended to help understand the ECL Ranking for teams at the end of the ECL '25: Spring season. This ranking determines the eligibility for teams entering various divisions this upcoming ECL '26: Winter 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 ECL '26: Winter registrations later this week. Elite 1 Elite 🏆 Last Dance 2 Elite 🥈 Mythix 3 Elite 3 Parasite 4 Elite 4 EXEN 5 Elite 5 Mustaa Kultaa 6 Elite 6 Heimo 7 Elite 7 SSK ESPORTS 8 Elite 8 Tohtorit 9 Elite 9 Polski Boys 10 Elite 10 The Black Jacks 11 Elite 11 vNexs 12 Elite 12 GOONS 13 ▶ Elite 15 ONSE Esports 14 ▲ Pro 🥇 ROBE Esports 15 ▲ Pro 3 Golden Buffalos 16 ▲ Pro 4 AFTERLIFE   Elite Qualifiers (if needed) 1 ▼ Elite 13 Blackbirds 2 ▼ Elite 14 NOVA 3 ▼ Elite 16 Vapor 4 Pro 2 Vizio 5 Pro 5 Almost Famous 6 Pro 6 Pirates eSports 7 Pro 7 Otukset 8 Pro 8 Falun Coal Miners   Pro 1 ▼ Elite 13 Blackbirds 2 ▼ Elite 14 NOVA 3 ▼ Elite 16 Vapor 4 Pro 2 Vizio 5 Pro 5 Almost Famous 6 Pro 6 Pirates eSports 7 Pro 7 Otukset 8 Pro 8 Falun Coal Miners 9 Pro 9 Three Stars 10 Pro 10 F U R Y 11 Pro 11 Aspyre 12 Pro 12 Sawolanche 13 Pro 13 POGGERS 14 Pro 14 Carnages 15 Pro 15 REALISTIC 16 Pro 16 Setelikerho 17 Pro 17 HC Lugano eSports 18 Pro 18 Herlev Eagles 19 Pro 19 Sunne IK Esport 20 Pro 20 Puck Over Glass 21 Pro 21 Nurnberg IceTigers eSport 22 Pro 22 SSK Prospects 23 ▲ Lite 🥇 MoDo Hockey 24 ▲ Lite 🥈 Deadly Phantoms 25 ▲ Lite 🥉 Lemmenvelhot   Pro Qualifier Wildcard requirements Three former Elite starters or four former Pro starters A starter is defined as having played 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Spring season, or 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Winter season If there are more players from the same team that were relegated out of the division Pro (in the same season) in the team applying for a wildcard, they may be counted as one player. The League Administration reserves the right to interpretations of this depending on the specific circumstances of the situation.   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 happens 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 The League Administration reserves the right to make adjustments to both the promotion process and the final promotions if deemed necessary.   Pro Qualifiers 1 Pro 23 Golden Sticks 2 Pro 24 Brynäs IF Esport 3 Pro 25 Unique 4 Pro 26 BLEGI 5 Pro 27 Pivto4ka 6 Pro 28 The Oldtimers 7 Pro 29 vNexs Academy 8 Lite 4 Turun Gasellit 9 Lite 5 Kikkakirja 10 Lite 6 Six Sticks Misfits 11 Lite 7 Seinäjoki Noms 12 Lite 8 Including Me 13 Lite 9 MISSCLICK 14 Lite 10 Rusty X 15 Lite 11 Jurricanes 16 Lite 12 Silver Sword Griffins 17 Lite 13 DEG eSports 18 Lite 14 Lucky Strikers 19 Lite 15 Carolus Icemen 20 Lite 16 Hokurit 21 Wildcard   22 Wildcard   23 Wildcard   24 Wildcard     Lite 1 ▼ Pro 29 Chiubigigle 2 ▼ Pro 30 Owned Hexa 3 ▼ Pro 31 UnderRated 4 ▼ Pro 32 Kertoimia Vastaan 5 Lite 17 Kokemus Puuttuu 6 Lite 18 Powerhouse Hockey 7 Lite 19 SIX MAN AVALANCHE 8 Lite 20 Red Bull Munich eSports 9 Lite 21 German Ice Gladiators 10 Lite 22 Tikitaka 11 Lite 23 Wida 12 Lite 24 Saucer Hockey 13 Lite 25 HC VADELMA 14 Lite 26 Pata Hellalla 15 Lite 27 TROJANS 16 Lite 28 Macho HC 17 Lite 29 HC Last Resort 18 Lite 30 Iserlohn Roosters eSports 19 Lite 31 Eisbaeren Lauf Gaming 20 Lite 32 Hockeyholics 21 Lite 33 KOST Wolves 22 Lite 34 KohKae Esports 23 Lite 35 Dark Energy HC 24 Lite 36 Toukokuu 25 Lite 37 Woodhands 26 Lite 38 Kiekko Rainers 27 Lite 39 SSK Adepts 28 Lite 40 HC Pustertal eSports 29 Lite 41 Karmadillos 30 Lite 42 HC NAMOTKA 31 Lite 43 SCB eSports 32 Lite 44 Goodvibes Hockey Group 33 Lite 45 Hiljainen Pikkukaupunki 34 Lite 46 KALMARUNIONEN 35 Lite 47 Game Over Esports 36 Lite 48   37 Lite 49   38 Lite 50   39 Lite 51   40 ▲ Core🥇 ARMEIJAN KURI 41 ▲ Core 🥈 Conexion 42 ▲ Core 🥉 Nordic Nosebleed 43 ▲ Core 4 Dynamo Hc 44 ▲ Core 5 VBO STARS 45 ▲ Core 6 Fallen Rangers 46 ▲ Core 7 CapeTown Kings 47 ▲ Core 8 MIESKISSAT 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: Winter, 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.

It's the grand finale! This Friday marks the sixth and final installment of Espoo Gaming Fridays, the thrilling 6-week online tournament series powered by SportsGamer.gg and the City of Espoo! It's been an incredible journey, and we're closing it out with a bang. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or are looking for one last chance to compete, Espoo Gaming Fridays has a place for you. The tournament is open to all European residents, regardless of where you live. You don’t need to be from Espoo to participate! ⚽ This Friday: The FINAL EA FC 25 | 1v1 Tournament! Our last tournament takes place this Friday, June 13, and features EA FC 25 in 1v1 format. This is your final opportunity to compete solo, test your skills, and represent your skill level in one of three divisions: • Beginner – New to tournaments or esports • Experienced – Played in competitive events before • Pro – Competing at the highest levels 🕕 Start time: 18:00 CEST 🎮 Platform: EA FC 25 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC 📆 Signups close: Friday at 12:00 CEST 🔗 Register using the links below or read more at SportsGamer.gg/Fridays (in Finnish) Friday 13.6. Sixth tournament - EA FC 25 - 1v1 Beginner Experienced Pro 🏆 Weekly Prizes – €160 per Tournament! Each tournament features €160 in digital gift cards, distributed across the three divisions: • 🥇 Pro – €100 • 🥇 Experienced – €40 • 🥇 Beginner – €20 Gift cards can be used on PlayStation Store, Steam, or Xbox Store, and are distributed after each tournament. A total of €960 in prizes will be awarded across the 6-week series. Prizes are non-transferable, and attempting to resell them may result in disqualification. 🗓️ Tournament Schedule (All completed tournaments marked with ✅) • ✅ May 9 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • ✅ May 16 – EA FC 25 | 2v2 ⚽ • ✅ May 23 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • ✅ May 30 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ • ✅ June 6 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • June 13 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ ⚠️ ℹ️ Quick Notes • All tournaments are free to join • This final tournament is in the 1v1 format for EA FC • A SportsGamer.gg account and player card are required to compete • All matches are played online, with a typical duration of 3–5 hours Get Involved! Sign up by Friday at noon, and enjoy one last great evening of competition and community in the Espoo Gaming Fridays series! For full rules, FAQs, and registration links, visit: 👉 SportsGamer.gg/Fridays Let’s make the last tournament of Espoo Gaming Fridays unforgettable — see you on the pitch!

We’re halfway through Espoo Gaming Fridays, the fun and accessible 6-week online tournament series powered by SportsGamer.gg and the City of Espoo! With three tournaments completed and three more to go, there’s still plenty of time to jump in and win. Whether you’re just starting out or already competing at a high level, Espoo Gaming Fridays has a place for you. The tournament is open to all European residents, regardless of where you live. You don’t need to be from Espoo to participate! ⚽ This Friday: EA FC 25 | 1v1 Tournament Our next tournament takes place this Friday, May 30, and features EA FC 25 in 1v1 format. Compete solo, test your skills, and represent your skill level in one of three divisions: • Beginner – New to tournaments or esports • Experienced – Played in competitive events before • Pro – Competing at the highest levels 🕕 Start time: 18:00 CEST 🎮 Platform: EA FC 25 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC 📆 Signups close: Friday at 12:00 CEST 🔗 Register at using the links below or read more at SportsGamer.gg/Fridays (in Finnish) Click below to reveal full list of registration links. 🏆 Weekly Prizes – €160 per Tournament! Each tournament features €160 in digital gift cards, distributed across the three divisions: • 🥇 Pro – €100 • 🥇 Experienced – €40 • 🥇 Beginner – €20 Gift cards can be used on PlayStation Store, Steam, or Xbox Store, and are distributed after each tournament. A total of €960 in prizes will be awarded across the 6-week series. Prizes are non-transferable and attempting to resell them may result in disqualification. 🗓️ Tournament Schedule • ✅ May 9 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • ✅ May 16 – EA FC 25 | 2v2 ⚽ • ✅ May 23 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • May 30 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ • June 6 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 • June 13 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ ℹ️ Quick Notes • All tournaments are free to join • NHL requires at least two players per team, EA FC is in the 1v1 format • A SportsGamer.gg account and player card are required to compete • All matches are played online, with a typical duration of 3–5 hours Get Involved! Grab a friend or go solo, sign up by Friday at noon, and enjoy a great evening of competition and community. For full rules, FAQs, and registration links, visit: 👉 SportsGamer.gg/Fridays Let’s make the second half of Espoo Gaming Fridays bigger than ever — see you on the pitch!

SportsGamer Twitch and YouTube Channels Are Now Reactio Media As part of a broader effort to grow and diversify our channel, the SportsGamer Twitch and YouTube platforms are now operating under the name Reactio Media. What’s changing? In short — just the name. All of the broadcasts, tournaments, and content you’ve come to expect from SportsGamer will continue as before. SportsGamer remains an active and central part of the channel’s programming. The new identity simply creates space for additional creators and content formats to emerge alongside our core esports coverage. While this new content may not always be tied directly to SportsGamer, the goal is to strengthen the entire platform — expanding reach, building a wider audience, and ultimately unlocking more opportunities for everyone involved. This shift also supports our ability to attract sponsorships and partnerships, which in turn helps us continue improving SportsGamer’s own content and production value. “How does this change things for me as a SportsGamer member?” It doesn’t — aside from giving you the chance to tune in to something different when there’s no SportsGamer content live. Everything you care about is still here. So when you see Reactio Media live on Twitch or YouTube — remember, it’s still us. Come say hi, join the stream, and be part of what’s next. 🎮 Up next on the channel: the ECL ’25: Spring Elite Quarterfinals, starting on Monday live at twitch.tv/ReactioMedia!   Follow SportsGamer on all platforms: 💬 Discord:  SportsGamer.gg/Discord  📘 Facebook: @SportsGamerGG 📸 Instagram: @SportsGamerGG 📺 Kick: @SportsGamerGG 🎵 TikTok: @SportsGamerGG 🧵 Threads: @SportsGamerGG 🎥 Twitch: @ReactioMedia 🐦 Twitter (X): @SportsGamerGG ▶️ YouTube: @ReactioMedia

Espoo, Finland – May 2025 – SportsGamer.gg proudly presents Espoo Gaming Fridays, a fun and accessible 6-week online tournament series that brings together the communities of EA FC 25 and NHL 25. Whether you’re brand new to esports or already competing at a high level, there’s a place for everyone. Organized for the City of Espoo, Finland’s second-largest municipality and a growing hub for gaming and technology, the tournament is open to all citizens of Europe, regardless of location. You don’t need to live in Espoo to participate! The competition runs every Friday from May 9 to June 13, alternating between NHL 25 (4v4) and EA FC 25 (1v1) formats. Players compete in one of three divisions based on experience: Beginner, Experienced, or Pro. 🗓️ Tournament Schedule May 9 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 May 16 – EA FC 25 | 2v2 ⚽ May 23 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 May 30 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ June 6 – NHL 25 | 4v4 🏒 June 13 – EA FC 25 | 1v1 ⚽ All matches are played online via PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (EA FC only). Tournaments start at 18:00 CEST and are estimated to last a maximum of 3-5h, depending on the number of participants and the success of your team. 🏆 Prizes Each tournament awards a total of €160 in digital gift cards, broken down by division: 🥇 Pro – €100 🥇 Experienced – €40 🥇 Beginner – €20 In total, €960 in prizes will be awarded across the six events. Gift cards are redeemable for popular platforms like PlayStation Store, Steam, or Xbox Store. Prizes can not be resold, and attempting to do so can lead to disqualification and suspensions. ✅ How to Join Each week has its own registration page, separated by skill level. Signups are open until Friday at 12:00 CEST before each tournament. The exception will be the first tournament on Friday, May 9th, where signups will close at 16:00 CEST. Browse available cups and register here: 👉 SportsGamer.gg/Fridays (Finnish site) Click below to reveal full list of registration links. ℹ️ Who Can Play? Beginner: New to tournaments, first time playing in a team setting Experienced: Played competitively before Pro: Competing at the highest levels in SportsGamer or EA events Each game mode requires teams of at least two players, and all players must have a SportsGamer.gg account and player card. Get involved, compete with your friends, and represent your region on the virtual pitch and rink! For full details, rules and info, visit the Espoo Gaming Fridays page. Update: EA FC Tournaments have been switched over to the 1v1 mode.

Today, Friday, May 2nd, is the last day to sign up for ECL '25: 1v1 Spring - so if you haven't already, please sign up before midnight!   The ice is calling. ECL '25: 1v1 is back with two standalone seasons: Spring and Fall. First up: Spring — and this time, it’s all business from day one. Even if you aren't the most competitive 1v1 player, keep reading, there might be something for you here! There are no qualifiers. The season starts directly with group play, followed by the playoffs. All matches are played in the Online Versus mode on PlayStation 5, where only the sharpest stick handlers and calmest minds will make it through.   🗓 Key Dates: Sign-up Deadline: May 2 at 23:59 CEST Group Stage: May 4–21 Playoffs: Starting May 25 (end date TBA) The group stage features groups of 10 players, battling it out for a spot in the playoffs.    💰 Spring Season Prize Pool: 🥇 1st Place: 800€ 🥈 2nd Place: 400€ 🥉 Semifinalists: 150€ each 📌 Accepted Licenses for the ECL '25: 1v1 Spring Season: ECL '25: Full Player License ECL '25: Winter Season Player License (One season) ECL '25: Spring Season Player License (One season)   Think you’ve got what it takes? Then sign up, suit up, and we'll see you on the ice!   🥳 Introducing: ECL '25: 1v1 Spring Chill To offer an alternative for players not competing at the highest 1v1 level, we want to offer the ECL 1v1 Spring Chill tournament, where you can compete in a more relaxed environment against players of a slightly less competitive mindset. There is no prize pool here, only good vibes and fun competition. The administration will be reviewing sign-ups and may deny sign-ups for players deemed too skilled to take part in the Chill Season. The same license requirements apply to the Spring Chill Season.    🍂 ECL '25: Fall Season information The second season of ECL '25: 1v1 will be played in late August and early September, under the name ECL '25: 1v1 Fall. Players with the Full Year Player License, as well as the Spring Season Player License will be eligible to participate. The prize pool will match the Spring season.

SportsGamers, Over the course of the years, we've set a high standard for NHL and other esports competitions with our leagues, tournaments, and content production around them. We have a lot of great people working behind the scenes, but in order to keep up with all the necessary tasks with greater efficiency, we are reaching out to you for help.   We are recruiting staff for several different positions and are looking for new staff members to work both with our leagues and tournaments. Most importantly, we are reaching out to our community to recruit a new Editor to take our written content production to the next level. As an Editor at SportsGamer.GG, your main responsibilities will revolve around all written content published on social media, our website, or even communicated through our partners' channels in various circumstances. You will also be expected e to generate your own content and have a vision of how to develop our content creation moving forward. There are possibilities to expand the role once you get comfortable in your position.  Editor:  Collaborate with content creators to refine and polish written and visual content for publication. Craft and develop the SportsGamer brand voice, style guidelines, and quality standards. Stay updated on industry trends in order to improve our content strategy.  Mandatory skills include an excellent understanding of the English language, and the ability to produce coherent text in English by yourself. Additional Nordic languages, especially Finnish and Swedish are very useful in the position, even if not a requirement. As you will be working with content on our social media platforms, an understanding of Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok and Facebook would be beneficial. You will also benefit from understanding SEO at least on a basic level.  Writers: Stay up to date with our leagues, tournaments and the latest industry news while creating interesting written content revolving around these. Have a knack for storytelling and finding the right ones to tell. Brainstorm ideas and content planning together with the Editor and other Writers. Mandatory skills include good proficiency in the English language and the ability to produce coherent text in English by yourself. We expect you to be able to work independently and meet deadlines set together with the Editor. As a SportsGamer writer, you'll have the freedom to pitch ideas and influence the content generated on our platform.   Please send in a portfolio of your previous work as a reference. In case you don't have previous journalistic references to send in, feel free to sweep us off our feet with your application instead. Reference from former Editor Janne @OGjahajaha Tarvonen: As a long-time SportsGamer staff member, I can personally vouch for this being an excellent stepping stone into the industry and that hard work in the position will provide you with great opportunities. In my time with SportsGamer, I've gained lots of experience in journalism, worked with professionals in that industry and received valuable feedback on my work. Through the years I've also been given the opportunity to work with our partners in projects, such as the eLiiga or with the Finnish Football Association. My work has also been published in Ilta-Sanomat and Aftonbladet as a direct result of working with SportsGamer.  As a SportsGamer Staff member, you will have a lot on your plate and we expect a certain level of work ethic, but in return you are provided with an interesting opportunity to enter the esports industry and develop your skills in a supportive environment. Several of our long-time members have made great improvements and taken steps towards a career in esports.    Contact Please send your application as an email to [email protected] or reach out to @Kenu. Please attach an introduction, your resume and a portfolio if you have one.   Interested in contributing outside of the areas listed above? Please fill out this form!

SportsGamers, We would like to remind every team that the transfer window for all ECL '25: Spring divisions expires tomorrow Friday, April 25th at 23:59:59 CEST.  Please remember to make sure your trades are in line with the rulebook before making them and check with support if you aren't sure. Remember, only one transfer per player is allowed per season - unless the player has played 0 games (overall, for any team) the entire season, which is covered in rule 14.6. If you're a player still looking for a team or a team still looking to add to your roster, please head to the Free Agents section or the Clubs Looking For Players section on our forum. Please post any last-minute transfers in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy them. 

SportsGamers, The ice is calling. ECL '25: 1v1 is back with two standalone seasons: Spring and Fall. First up: Spring — and this time, it’s all business from day one. Even if you aren't the most competitive 1v1 player, keep reading, there might be something for you here! There are no qualifiers. The season starts directly with group play, followed by the playoffs. All matches are played in the Online Versus mode on PlayStation 5, where only the sharpest stick handlers and calmest minds will make it through. 🗓 Key Dates: Sign-up Deadline: May 2 at 23:59 CEST Group Stage: May 4–21 Playoffs: Starting May 25 (end date TBA) The group stage features groups of 10 players, battling it out for a spot in the playoffs. 💰 Spring Season Prize Pool: 🥇 1st Place: 800€ 🥈 2nd Place: 400€ 🥉 Semifinalists: 150€ each 📌 Accepted Licenses for the ECL '25: 1v1 Spring Season: ECL '25: Full Player License ECL '25: Winter Season Player License (One season) ECL '25: Spring Season Player License (One season) Think you’ve got what it takes? Then sign up, suit up, and we'll see you on the ice! 🥳 Introducing: ECL '25: 1v1 Spring Chill To offer an alternative for players not competing at the highest 1v1 level, we want to offer the ECL 1v1 Spring Chill tournament, where you can compete in a more relaxed environment against players of a slightly less competitive mindset. There is no prize pool here, only good vibes and fun competition. The administration will be reviewing sign-ups and may deny sign-ups for players deemed too skilled to take part in the Chill Season. The same license requirements apply to the Spring Chill Season. 🍂 ECL '25: Fall Season information The second season of ECL '25: 1v1 will be played in late August and early September, under the name ECL '25: 1v1 Fall. Players with the Full Year Player License, as well as the Spring Season Player License will be eligible to participate. The prize pool will match the Spring season.

Meet the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer: Lauri "sopulii_" Enström The ECL '25: Spring season is here, and leading the way as the Cover Gamer is none other than Lauri @sopulii_ Enström of Blackbirds. A Pro division champion, competitive floorball player, content creator, and a driving force behind Blackbirds' esports project, Enström embodies what it means to be an ECL athlete both on and off the ice. We caught up with him to talk about his journey, his team's rise through the divisions, the connection between virtual hockey and floorball, and what it means to represent Blackbirds on two fronts.   List of previous ECL cover gamers: ECL 8: Erik @Eki Tammenpää  🇫🇮  ECL 9: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen  🇫🇮  ECL 10: Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 🇸🇪  ECL 11: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha  🇫🇮  ECL 12: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen  🇫🇮  ECL '22: Winter: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann  🇸🇪 & Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt 🇸🇪 ECL '23: Spring: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Winter: Erik @Eki Tammenpää 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Spring: Tomi @tomboo- Laitinen 🇫🇮 ECL ‘24: Winter: Adam @dzouvi Menšík 🇨🇿 ECL ‘24: Spring: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen 🇫🇮   Interview with Lauri "sopulii_" Enström Congrats on becoming the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer! What does this recognition mean to you personally and as part of the Blackbirds organization? Thank you, being named cover gamer is of course a great honour considering the cover gamers in the past. It is very cool to be able to represent the league as a team that was just promoted to Elite for this season. The journey we've had with this team has been unbelievable and finally, after so many seasons in lower divisions, we have our chance to give it all we have at the highest level.   Your journey in the ECL has been steadily rising season by season—how did it all start for you, and what motivated you to keep pushing to this level? I personally started in ECL 11 during NHL 21, but the story of the modern-day Blackbirds really began in the ECL'23 Winter season with xBots. Finally, we were able to build a team around the Xbox community since this was the time cross-play was added to the game. We were also the first and only Xbox team to compete that season, and we managed to push into the Lite division in the qualifiers. Our group has always been pretty close, so I think over the years that has been our strength - being able to really stick together as a group even through the tough times.   Blackbirds had a dominant Winter season and capped it off with the Pro title. What do you think made the difference this time compared to earlier seasons? This is a pretty simple one to answer - we played much more together than any previous season. And we played with this exact roster a lot. Most seasons during our club's existence have seen sometimes even up to 10+ players playing throughout the season. But this past season it was really the first time we were able to play a stable season without a huge amount of roster variance between games. The current roster was mainly 1v1 oriented players in the past meaning the motivation to play a lot of 6s wasn't really there.   You’ve been part of the team’s core through multiple seasons and changes. How has the chemistry evolved, and how important is that off-the-ice connection to your success? I think the off-the-ice chemistry is a huge strength of ours - and has always been. The core of our team has been friends ever since around 2020, so the club was created much after we knew each other. What separates the current lineup from the ones in the past is probably the way we're all more or less on the same page about how we want to play and what our expectations/goals are. It's a young team but I think the past 2 seasons have given us so much growth as a team - both on the ice and off it.   Are there any teams or players in Elite you’re especially looking forward to matching up against? The floorball derby - Blackbirds vs Heimo. Both teams are representatives of Finnish floorball clubs (Blackbirds, Kerava & Westend Indians). Funny enough we have a player playing for Heimo in real life, so this is a matchup I'm looking forward to. SportsGamer was even kind enough to schedule this matchup as a broadcast game.   You’re not just a top-tier NHL player—you also compete in floorball at a high level. How do the two sports complement each other for you, if at all? I've said this for years and I still believe it's true - the virtual hockey gameplay resembles floorball much more than real hockey. So I really think they do complement each other in a lot of ways. The principles of the games are very similar - a good play in one is very likely a good play in the other. The gameplay allows for much more control than real-life hockey does, meaning it's possible to make for example passing plays the same way it can be done on the field in floorball.   What does it mean to represent Blackbirds in both physical and digital arenas? That’s a pretty unique position to be in. Haha, yeah. I've represented Blackbirds in real life for almost 10 years now and it is always a cool feeling to step on the field or virtual ice at "Kurkela Garden". Tune in to the Season Opening Broadcast Tonight! Stay tuned as Lauri and Blackbirds take on their biggest challenge yet in the Elite division. Watch them live this season on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG and twitch.tv/BlackbirdsUnited follow their journey across both the esports and floorball arenas. Both Blackbirds and ONSE Esports kick off their maiden ECL Elite broadcast matchup together, starting tonight at 19:45 CEST, followed by NOVA taking on Polski Boys - be sure to tune in!