U15 and U20i open the 2024/2025 youth season

The youth teams are ready to go. U20i runners-up Eishockey Akademie Oberösterreich open in front of their home crowd against Fehervar Hockey Academy 19. As defending champions of the U20 International League, Hungary's Ujpesti Jegkorong Akademia travel to Carinthia to face EC iDM VSV on the opening matchday. As in 2023/2024, a total of 15 teams will take part, split into two divisions.

In the U15, defending champions EC iDM VSV face EV spusu Vienna Capitals on 7 September. Last season, Villach's youth teams claimed titles in no fewer than three age categories: U13, U15 and U17.

The U13, U17 and U18 International Leagues begin the new campaign a week later, on 14 September.

Format

The U20 International League plays a single cross-border home-and-away round in 2 divisions in phase 1. After phase 1, the 7th-placed team from division 1 faces the 2nd-placed team from division 2, while the 8th-placed team from division 1 faces the 1nd-placed team from division 2 in two games in “CHL mode” in the Play Up/Down. Teams placed 1-6, plus the Play Up/Down winners, play a one-and-a-half (1,5) cross-border home-and-away round in division 1 in phase 2. All remaining teams play a one-and-a-half (1,5) cross-border home-and-away round in division 2. The top 2 teams from division 2 then face the bottom two teams from division 1 in the pre-play-offs, played in CHL mode, for a quarter-final berth. The top 3 teams then select their quarter-final opponents. The first play-off round is played as a "Best of three", with the semi-finals and final played as a "Best of five".

The U18 International League plays its regular season from September 2024 to February 2025, also split into 2 divisions. In phase 1, a one-and-a-half home-and-away round is played. After phase 1, the 5th-placed team from division 1 faces the 2nd-placed team from division 2, while the 6th-placed team from division 1 faces the 1nd-placed team from division 2 in two games in “CHL mode” in the Play Up/Down. The winners play phase 2 in division 1, while the losers play in division 2. Teams placed 1-4, plus the Play Up/Down winners, play a double home-and-away round in division 1 in phase 2. All other teams also play a double home-and-away round in division 2 for the remaining 2 play-off places. The first play-off round (quarter-finals) is played as a "Best of three", with the semi-finals and final played as a "Best of five".

In the U17 eight teams will take part in 2024/2025. A two-and-a-half (2,5) home-and-away round will be played. The finalists will then be determined through "Best of three" quarter-final and semi-final series, with 1 playing 8, 2 playing 7, 3 playing 6 and 4 playing 5 in the first play-off round. The final will be played as a "Best of five".

The U15 is split into divisions 1 and 2 in phase 1 and plays a one-and-a-half nationwide home-and-away round. In the Play Up/Down, two games are played in “CHL mode”, with the 5th-placed team from division 1 facing the 2nd-placed team from division 2, and the 6th-placed team from division 1 facing the 1nd-placed team from division 2. Teams placed 1 - 4, plus the Play Up/Down winners, qualify directly for the play-offs and play a placement round consisting of a one-and-a-half (1,5) nationwide home-and-away round. After phase 1, teams placed 7-12 play a qualifying round consisting of a one-and-a-half (1,5) nationwide home-and-away round for the remaining two play-off places. The quarter-final match-ups are determined by the final standings: 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, 4th vs. 5th. In the U15, the quarter-finals and semi-finals are played as a "Best of three", with the final played as a "Best of five".

In the youth championship of the U13 the play-off places are determined through a single home-and-away round, with all teams competing in the same division. All play-off rounds are played as a "Best of three".

The U11 championship in the 2024/25 season is played in small-rink format. The championship is divided into three phases. Phase 1 (September to November) is played in cross-rink format. Phase 2 (November to December) is played in full-length format and determines the standings for the final tournaments in phase 3, which will again be played in cross-rink format from January onwards.

Champions of the 2023/2024 season

U20 International League: Ujpesti Jegkorong Akademia
U18 International League: EC Red Bull Salzburg
U17: EC iDM VSV
U15: EC iDM VSV
U13: EC iDM VSV
U11: EC-KAC "Red"

Fixture lists