International Tournament (Slovakia) (EU) 2025/26

The Vianočný Kaufland Cup is an annual international ice hockey tournament hosted by Slovakia. Organized by the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation (SZĽH) and sponsored by the supermarket chain Kaufland, the event serves as a key pre-season preparation block for the Slovak national team. Typically held in December, it operates as a standalone invitational rather than part of a league pyramid.

The format is a round-robin among three national teams: Slovakia, Latvia, and Norway. There is no promotion or relegation involved. Slovakia has dominated the modern iteration, which began in its current form in 2019, winning every edition through to the 2025 season. This streak includes a notable undefeated run in 2023 where the host conceded zero goals across two matches. In the most recent edition in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia defeated Latvia 3–2 in overtime to retain the title.

While distinct from the broader Euro Ice Hockey Challenge series, the tournament often features the same participants and occurs during the same IIHF international break window. Its primary role is to provide consistent, high-level preparation for Slovakia against familiar European rivals, separate from the IIHF World Championship structure.