North Macedonia to relaunch Ice Hockey Extraliga in January 2027
Four teams, including Thessaloniki HC, will compete after a 12‑year absence.
Ice hockey returns to North Macedonia: an Extraliga is scheduled to begin in January 2027, organisers announced on social networks. The competition marks the first national league in the sport since the mid‑2010s and is being presented as a revival for hockey fans in the country.
The gap between national championships has been long — 12 years without an organised domestic league. The last period in which a Macedonian championship was held ran from 2013 to 2015, when HC Metalurg captured two titles.
Teams and format
For the opening season four clubs are listed to take part: Skopje Herd, Vardar River Badgers, Hockey Club Delchevo and Thessaloniki HC. The inclusion of Thessaloniki HC brings a cross‑border element, with a team from Greece joining the domestic competition.
Organisers say the Extraliga will provide regular competitive fixtures after more than a decade without a national championship. Exact match dates, venues and competition format for the January 2027 start are expected to be published in the coming weeks.
For supporters of a sport often described as one of the most attractive on ice, the relaunch is being welcomed as an opportunity to rebuild clubs, develop players and raise the profile of ice hockey in North Macedonia.
Photo: press material from the event
