It hasn't even been a week since the milestone 10th anniversary season of the Champions Hockey League ended and we're already here to update you on our Race to Qualify!

Following a busy week of CHL qualification since the 2025 CHL Final in Zurich, Switzerland, our line-up of teams for 2025/26 has grown to a nice six. Who are our first qualifiers of the season? Let's find out!

KAC Klagenfurt

The Austrian club were the first team to secure their place in the upcoming CHL season and did so ahead of the CHL Final. With all the games in the ICE Hockey League regular season now concluded, five-time CHL participants KAC Klagenfurt will now battle in their domestic playoffs for the national championship but are sure not to miss another season on Europe's biggest club ice hockey stage.

ZSC Lions Zurich

The CHL Champions are automatically granted a position in the following season and that secured ZSC Lions Zurich's spot for 2025/26. A European Club Champion from Switzerland will also give teams in the National League an extra chance to qualify for the upcoming CHL season, as winning the CHL grants an extra qualification spot to the league.

ZSC Lions Zurich won the 2024/25 CHL season (Photo: Melanie Duchene)

Sparta Prague

We haven't had to wait long for our first qualifier from the Czech Extraliga either, as past CHL Finalists Sparta Prague are also set for 2025/26! The Semi-Finalists of the recently concluded European club ice hockey season and current Czech Extraliga regular season leaders will look to make it back to the Final in the upcoming season. Watch out for Sparta!

Red Bull Salzburg

The Austrian club finished in a closely contested second place in the ICE regular season standings to confirm their place in the 2025/26 line-up. The upcoming season will be Red Bull Salzburg's 10th on the pan-European stage!

Red Bull Salzburg were the only team to beat the 2024/25 CHL Champions this CHL season and finished strongly, exiting the CHL in the Quarter-Finals (Photo: Berend Stettler)

Lausanne HC

Zurich aren't the only lions on the 2025/26 line-up so far as they were recently joined by in-form Lausanne HC. The Swiss club have been extremely strong this National League season and look set for a top-place finish in the regular season and a strong playoffs run. We'll be watching!

ERC Ingolstadt

After missing out on the action in 2024/25, ERC Ingolstadt have secured their place in the 2025/26 line-up! The in-form DEL side are the first German qualifier of the season and will make their fifth CHL appearance later this year. Best of luck in the playoffs!

We loved having ERC Ingolstadt in the CHL and can't wait to welcome them and their fans back again come September! (Photo: Johannes Traub)

Be sure to return for all the latest Champions Hockey League news and stay tuned to our social channels to be the first to find out about new qualifiers and other updates!