AHL starts in early October

The season of the Alps Hockey League is divided into two phases: during the regular season, teams play 36 games. The top four teams qualify directly for the play-offs. The teams placed fifth to twelfth contest the pre-play-offs for the remaining quarter-final spots.

The regular season gets under way with six so-called "Return-2-Play" games between 3 and 22 October. The 16 participants are divided into four regional groups. Within these pools, the teams face each other twice, playing a home and an away game against one another within a week.

The results of both matches are added together. The winner on aggregate receives three points. If the aggregate score is level after two games, overtime follows in the second match. The winner receives two points, the loser one. Once the "Return-2-Play" games have been completed, a team can therefore have a maximum of nine points, which are taken into account in the overall standings.

Group 1: EC Bregenzerwald, EHC Lustenau, EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel, VEU Feldkirch
Group 2: Steel Wings Linz, EC-KAC II, HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice, HK SZ Olympia Ljubljana
Group 3: HC Pustertal, Red Bull Hockey Juniors, Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan, Rittner Buam
Group 4: Migross Supermercati Asiago Hockey, HC Fassa Falcons, HC Gherdeina valgardena.it, S.G. Cortina Hafro

The six "Return-2-Play" rounds are followed by a "Round Robin", in which the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. In these 30 rounds, points for a win, a win after overtime/shoot-out and a loss after overtime/shoot-out are awarded according to the classic 3-2-1-0 system. Regional match-ups will again be scheduled towards the end of the year, while international fixtures will increasingly be played in January and February 2021.

Should Covid-19-related official regulations in the countries involved impose restrictions on match operations, subsequent changes to the fixture list and/or format may be necessary.