Extraliga (Slovakia) 2026/27

The Slovak Extraliga stands as the premier professional ice hockey competition in Slovakia. Organized by the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (SZĽH), the league occupies the highest position within the national pyramid, sitting above the 1. Liga. Established in 1993 following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the inaugural season took place in 1993–94. Currently branded as the Tipsport Liga, the tournament features 12 teams navigating a regular season schedule of 54 games. This structure relies on a four-round home-and-away series against every other participant, supplemented by regional rivalry matches.

Performance determines progression into the postseason. The top six finishers advance directly to the quarterfinals, while those ranked seventh through tenth enter a preliminary best-of-5 play-in round to secure the remaining two spots. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals are contested as best-of-7 series. Overtime rules shift during playoff play: the first four games utilize a 5-minute 3-on-3 period followed by a shootout, whereas the fifth game onward employs 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden-death periods.

Relegation impacts the bottom of the table immediately. The team finishing in 12th place is automatically sent down to the 1. Liga. The eleventh-place team enters a relegation playoff, known as baráž, against the winner of the 1. Liga playoffs to determine the final Extraliga spot for the subsequent season. HC Košice holds the record for the most titles, with 10 championships won as of the conclusion of the 2024–25 season. The league has seen various sponsorship names over the years, including West Extraliga, Boss Extraliga, and ST Extraliga.