Kometa Brno is coming to the Dolomite Cup. © Max Pattis, Vanna Antonello

Dolomitencup: Czech Republic's ice hockey comeback is there

The prestigious Dolomitencup will take place in Neumarkt for the 20th time in August. The top-class field of participants is now complete: HC Kometa Brno, the reigning Czech champions, will be coming to the South Tyrolean lowlands.

April 01, 2026

From: pm

From Germany, the record Dolomitencup winners, the Augsburg Panthers, and the iconic Eisbären Berlin are approaching. From Switzerland, EV Zug is speeding to Neumarkt. And from the Czech Republic, Kometa Brno is flying in. When the famous (or infamous) Dolomitencup takes place from August 21st to 23rd, big names in ice hockey will be competing.

With Kometa Brno's confirmation, the field of participants for the 20th anniversary edition is complete. And it's a big fish the organizers have landed. The club from Brno, a city of 400.000 inhabitants, is a major player in the top Czech league, which is among the best in Europe. Need an example? A year ago, Kometa were crowned champions. It was their 14th triumph overall in the club's history.

Dolomite Cup as a good omen

Kometa Brno and the Dolomitencup share a special history. In August 2016, the Czech club participated in the pre-season tournament in Neumarkt for the first time – and won the championship title in the season that followed shortly after. This marked the end of a long title drought that had lasted no less than 51 years. Eight years later, this remarkable feat was repeated: Kometa played in Neumarkt for the second time in August 2024 and once again crowned themselves champions that season.

The Czechs are a top team at home. © Max Pattis, Vanna Antonello

When Kometa Brno comes to the Dolomitencup, it's always a good omen. The current season hasn't gone entirely according to plan for the Czechs, as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the reigning Dolomitencup champions, Dynamo Pardubice. Some South Tyrolean ice hockey fans have already seen the Czech powerhouse this year: Kometa played in the Champions Hockey League at the Sparkasse Arena in Bolzano in September and suffered a 5-6 overtime defeat against HCB Südtirol Alperia in a crazy match.