The new 2025/26 season of the Emirates Ice Hockey League has begun. This year, six teams will participate in the tournament.

The opening match took place on October 6 at the Dubai Mall Ice Rink between the Shaheen Falcons and the Galaxy Warriors. In the season opener, the Falcons crushed their opponents with a score 17:5.

It’s worth noting that the Shaheen Falcons won the championship last season. In the tournament final, they defeated the Abu Dhabi Storms on aggregate.

For the first time, Red Star, the team that replaced the Russian White Bears, will participate in the championship. Their roster will be primarily comprised of players with KHL and VHL experience. For example: Alexey Krasikov, Alexey Emelin, Nikita Feoktistov, Maxim Goncharov, Sergey Kuznetsov, Evgeny Chesalin, Gleb Koryagin, Grigory Nesvetaev and Pavel Varfolomeev.