Could Nottingham Panthers win a second gold medal?
Nottingham Panthers, the host club for this season’s final, are the only previous winners in contention for 2026. But they can expect stiff competition from several opponents with a strong Continental Cup pedigree in recent seasons.
Four other teams have previously won medals. Herning Blue Fox twice claimed silver (2016, 2024), while Angers Ducs came third in 2015 and were runners-up on home ice in 2023. GKS Katowice took bronze last season and will contest the final for the fourth successive season. Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk won bronze in 2008 and is back in the tournament for the first time in many years.
Along with GKS, three other teams played in last season’s event. Mogo topped its first-round group but fell in the second stage, while Crvena Zvezda and Narva were both eliminated in the opening round.
There is also a tournament rookie. ACS Gyergyoi traces its roots back to 1949, but has reached a new level since joining the Hungarian Erste League in 2018. It won that competition in 2023 – the club’s first major title – and this year won the Romanian championship for the first time to qualify for the Continental Cup.
You can follow the progress of the 2025/2026 IIHF Continental Cup here on IIHF.com.