The 2026/27 Motorpoint Elite League campaign begins Saturday night as all 10 teams take part in five Challenge Cup matches.
After several weeks of preparation and more than 30 exhibition games involving Elite League clubs, competitive points are now at stake. Defending Challenge Cup champions Nottingham Panthers open their campaign at home, and all five opening-night fixtures are scheduled for 19:00.
Two teams carrying strong pre-season records meet at the Vindico Arena when Cardiff Devils host the Guildford Flames. Cardiff won six of its seven exhibition games, finishing with a 5-2 victory over the Panthers, while Guildford claimed four wins in five matches. The Flames’ only defeat came in their final outing, a 6-4 loss in Coventry, after scoring 31 goals in the preceding four games. Both sides enter the opening weekend with positive momentum.
Dundee Stars begin the Scott Dutertre era competitively at home against defending Motorpoint Elite League champions Belfast Giants. The Stars won four of their five recorded pre-season matches, defeating Glasgow, HK Liepāja, the Kyiv Capitals and ECDC Memmingen before suffering a 7-2 defeat in Fife. Belfast split four warm-up fixtures, beating Herlev Eagles in overtime and Swiss club HC Ambrì-Piotta before closing preparations with a 5-1 loss to EHC Red Bull München in Germany.
The first competitive match under new Fife head coach Tim Wallace sees the Flyers welcome Glasgow to Kirkcaldy. Fife went unbeaten in three pre-season games, defeating the Kyiv Capitals in overtime, the Hull Seahawks and the Dundee Stars while scoring 19 goals. Glasgow finished their preparations with three consecutive victories, including two wins over ECDC Memmingen after an earlier success against HK Liepāja. During the off-season, the Clan appointed Mike Sirant as permanent head coach, making this the first season in which he begins as the coach at the end of their bench.
Challenge Cup holders Nottingham Panthers begin their title defence against Manchester Storm. The Panthers won their first three exhibition matches against the Ducs d’Angers, Gothiques d’Amiens and Cardiff before the Devils ended their preparations with a 5-2 win. Manchester are still seeking their first victory of the new campaign after defeats to Coventry and Sheffield, although their final pre-season match was much closer as the Storm pushed the Steelers to a shootout before losing 6-5 at the AO Arena. The teams meet again on Sunday in the reverse fixture.
Sheffield Steelers and Coventry Blaze round out Saturday’s opening-night schedule at the Utilita Arena. The Steelers ended pre-season with consecutive wins over Manchester after suffering two earlier defeats to Cardiff. Coventry won three of their four exhibition games, including an overtime victory over Gothiques d’Amiens and a 6-4 win over Guildford in their final match. Their only pre-season loss came away to the Flames the previous evening.
Photo: Panthers Images