The 2026–27 National League season is the 89th season of Swiss professional ice hockey and the tenth season as the National League (NL). HC Fribourg-Gottéron are the defending champions.
Three teams from the NL are qualified for 2026–27 Champions Hockey League (CHL), those teams being HC Fribourg-Gottéron, HC Davos, and Genève-Servette HC.
The teams did not change from the 2025–26 season as HC Sierre, who won the 2025–26 Swiss League season, did not apply for promotion.
Teams
Team City Arena Capacity HC Ajoie Porrentruy Raiffeisen Arena 5,078 HC Ambrì-Piotta Ambrì Gottardo Arena 6,775 SC Bern Bern PostFinance Arena 17,031 EHC Biel Biel/Bienne Tissot Arena 6,562 HC Davos Davos Eisstadion Davos 6,547 Fribourg-Gottéron Fribourg BCF Arena 9,075 Genève-Servette HC Geneva Patinoire des Vernets 7,135 EHC Kloten Kloten Swiss Arena 7,624 Lausanne HC Lausanne Vaudoise Aréna 9,600 HC Lugano Lugano Cornèr Arena 7,800 SCL Tigers Langnau im Emmental Ilfis Stadium 6,000 SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers Rapperswil St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena 6,100 ZSC Lions Zürich Swiss Life Arena 12,000 EV Zug Zug Bossard Arena 7,200
Standings During the regular season, teams gain 3 points for a win in regulation time, 2 for a win in overtime, 1 for a loss in overtime, and none for a loss in regulation. The regular season is still in progress, meaning that Playoff / Play-In / Playout qualifications are not final.
Postseason At the end of the regular season, the six teams with the most points advance to the playoffs, the next four advance to the play-ins for a chance to qualify to the playoffs. The two teams with the least point go to the playouts. The loser of the series has to face the winner of the Swiss League (SL) and are relegated to the SL if they lose (the winning team being promoted).
Play-in stage Each round of the play-ins is played in two matches, one at each team's home arena, using aggregate scoring (the winner is defined by the total score of the two matches). The games are only played on regulation time (no overtime). If the total score at the end of regulation of the second match is even, endless overtime is played. The first game is played at the home arena of the team with the lowest regular season ranking.
In the first round, the seventh seed faces the eighth and the ninth faces the 10th. The winner of the match between the seventh and eighth qualifies for the playoffs. The loser faces the winner of the match between ninth and 10th in the second round. The winner of the second round qualifies for the playoffs. Of the two teams qualified, the one with the better regular season ranking faces the second seed in the first round of playoffs. The other team faces the first seed.
Playoffs The playoffs are played in a single elimination bracket, each round being a best-of-seven. The seeding is decided based on the regular season ranking. The teams play every other game at their home arena, the team with the higher regular season ranking getting the advantage for the first game. Pairings are reseeded after the first round.
Playouts The two teams in the NL with the least regular season points go to the Playouts. They play a seven-game series, the loser of which has to play against the winner of the Swiss League (SL). The loser of that series goes to the SL, and the winner to the NL.
References