CHL start delayed, format adapted

Photo: David Williams

The Champions Hockey League has announced this Tuesday that the 2020/21 edition will see a delayed start and change in format due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The CHL now plans to begin on what would have been Game Day 5, over 6 and 7 October. The competitions will begin with a straight knockout in a 'Round of 32', rather than the group stage. 

"The Champions Hockey League is a pan-European competition with 13 countries involved, which means that we are dependent on the decisions and regulations set by 13 different governments," said CHL President Peter Zahner. “Our participating teams must be able to travel, and our goal is that games will only be played with spectators in the arenas. For this reason, and because of the high degree of uncertainty across the continent, we have decided to be proactive and not to take the risk of requiring urgent changes closer to the original start date."

In the Round of 32, all 32 teams will be drawn into ties which will be played as a home and away, aggregate-scoring series - 16 in all. The competition will then carry on in knockout-style through the Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, and Semi-Finals.