Fonbet KHL Championship is one of the most important events in the world of ice hockey. It attracts the attention of not only Russian fans, but also fans from all over the world. The Kontinental Hockey League unites the best teams of Eurasia. The spectators are offered spectacular matches full of emotions and unpredictable turns. Every year the teams compete for the Gagarin Cup, the main trophy of the tournament. It has become a symbol of supremacy in European ice hockey.
Fonbet KHL Championship 2026/27 Season
The 2026/27 KHL season will start on September 5, 2026. The new championship will feature 23 clubs. Teams will compete in the regular season, after which the strongest clubs will continue their fight for the Gagarin Cup in the playoffs.
The 2026/27 KHL season will feature clubs from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and China. The regular season will traditionally consist of a large number of games, with the schedule including matches between teams from the same conferences and divisions.
One of the main events at the start of the season will be the Opening Cup game. It will feature the reigning Gagarin Cup champion and the finalist of the previous playoffs.
Main Favorites and Participants
Among the main contenders for the Gagarin Cup in the 2026/27 season are leading KHL clubs such as CSKA Moscow, SKA Saint Petersburg, Ak Bars, Lokomotiv, Metallurg and other teams that regularly compete for top positions.
Particular attention will be paid to the reigning KHL champion. The team that wins the Gagarin Cup in the 2025/26 season will enter the new championship as one of the main favorites.
History of the Competition
The Kontinental Hockey League was founded in 2008 on the basis of the Russian Superleague. From its first seasons, the KHL positioned itself as an international ice hockey tournament capable of bringing together leading clubs from Europe and Asia.
Over the years, teams from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Latvia, Slovakia, Finland and other countries have competed in the league. Russian clubs have traditionally formed the core of the tournament.
The Gagarin Cup is the main trophy of the KHL and is awarded annually to the winner of the playoffs. Throughout the league's history, the trophy has been won by clubs such as Ak Bars, SKA, CSKA, Metallurg, Avangard and Lokomotiv.
Tournament Features
The KHL combines a long regular season with a multi-stage playoff system. At the end of the regular season, teams are ranked in the standings, with the best clubs earning the right to continue competing for the Gagarin Cup.
The playoffs are played in best-of-seven series. Each round raises the stakes, while the final series determines the new KHL champion.
KHL Results for the Last 3 Years
| Season | Location | Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Russia | 2025/26 season champion |
| 2024/25 | Russia | Lokomotiv |
| 2023/24 | Russia | Metallurg Magnitogorsk |
In the 2024/25 season, Lokomotiv won the Gagarin Cup for the first time in the club's history. In the final series, the team defeated Traktor.
In the 2023/24 season, Metallurg Magnitogorsk became champions, winning the club's third Gagarin Cup.
Fonbet KHL Championship 2027/28
The next KHL season after the 2026/27 campaign will take place in 2027/28. The exact start and end dates, list of participants and full match schedule will be determined and published later.
Keep an eye on the dates of hockey tournaments and other events in our Sporting Events Calendar.
