Two reigning national champions are set to clash in the Champions Hockey League for the very first time, as the champions of Czechia and Poland meet on Game Day 1 of the 2026/27 CHL season. As the first Polish team to ever score points and win in the pan-European competition, GKS Tychy are set on breaking their record of not making the Playoffs in all of their past CHL seasons, while Dynamo Pardubice have only the highest ambitions heading into the new season.

Despite facing some very tough opposition last year and finishing last in the Regular Season Standings, Tychy made a strong effort and netted 12 goals in total, resulting in two wins out of the six games they played. Nevertheless, Tychy played their final Regular Season game against Finnish team Lukko Rauma fiercely, only losing by one goal netted in the final minute of the game.

On the other side stand Czech team Pardubice who are eager to make a big comeback having missed the last CHL season. After winning the Czech Extraliga title this past season, the Czechs aim to pick up right where they left off in their impressive 2023/34 Quarter-Finals run. In the 2024/25 season, Pardubice missed out on the Playoffs, finishing just below the cut-off line.

Expect a ferocious battle from the opening puck drop as both sides fight to secure crucial points and to get their new season in Europe’s biggest club ice hockey competition off on the right foot.