From April 10–12, 2026, the plaza in front of Olympiaworld Innsbruck will become the stage for the world premiere of Ultimate Hockey – Breaking the Ice. Six nations — Austria, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Estonia and Great Britain — will compete in the first tournament of the new international 3-on-3 hockey series. The event is part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1976 Olympic Winter Games and combines elite international ice hockey with an urban festival atmosphere.

The tournament will feature 17 games over three days, including group play, placement games, semifinals, and the bronze and gold medal games. In addition to the on-ice action, the program will include live music, DJ performances, and event entertainment throughout the weekend.

Host nation Austria with 13 players from ICE, Alps and national leagues

Special attention will be on Team Austria, which will compete in front of a home crowd at the world premiere. The host nation will field a 13-player roster featuring athletes from the win2day ICE Hockey League, the Alps Hockey League, and top Austrian competitions.

Among the players confirmed are:

• Mark Andreas Mußbacher (Pioneers Vorarlberg / ICE Hockey League)

• Cosmo Che Reichhalter (EC Bregenzerwald / Alps Hockey League)

• Kevin Wanger (EC Bregenzerwald / Alps Hockey League)

The roster is completed by Laurin Wempe, Benjamin Summer, Aaron Summer, Benjamin Kyllönen, Joonatan Kyllönen, Dominik Rauter, Jonas Josef Kofler, Aaron Matt, Alessandro Togni and Ricardo Helmut Bell.

With the home team competing in Innsbruck, strong fan support and an intense atmosphere are expected for the premiere event.

Germany with DEL professionals and national team legend Dennis Endras

Team Germany also arrives with an experienced lineup. Moritz “Mo” Wirth headlines a roster that also includes players from DEL, DEL2 and Oberliga.

The German squad will be coached by Dennis Endras, one of the most successful German goaltenders of the past decades. The former national team goalkeeper was named MVP of the 2010 IIHF World Championship and won Olympic silver with Germany in 2018.

International top players from six nations

The remaining teams also feature well-known names and international experience:

Hungary

• Natan Vertes – Youth Olympic Skills Challenge finalist

• Levente Hegedüs – Youth Olympic 3-on-3 gold medalist

• Additional players from ICE Hockey League and Erste Liga

Netherlands

• Core of the Dutch national team

• Guus van Nes (Villacher EC)

• Didrik Bax-Kristiansen (Norway 2nd division)

• Head coach Doug Mason, long-time coach in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Estonia

• Players from Ligue Magnus, UK Elite League, Liiga, Mestis and ECHL

Great Britain

• Completing the international field for the premiere event

The mix of established hockey nations and emerging programs highlights the international ambition of the new series and underlines the goal of Ultimate Hockey to create a fast-paced, global 3-on-3 format combining sport, entertainment and festival culture.

Game Schedule

Friday, 10 April
13:45 – Hungary vs. Estonia
15:00 – Great Britain vs. Netherlands
16:15 – Estonia vs. Germany
17:30 – Netherlands vs. Austria
18:45 – Germany vs. Hungary
20:00 – Austria vs. Great Britain

Saturday, 11 April
13:45 – Germany vs. Estonia
15:00 – Austria vs. Netherlands
16:15 – Estonia vs. Hungary
17:30 – Netherlands vs. Great Britain
18:45 – Hungary vs. Germany
20:00 – Great Britain vs. Austria

Sunday, 12 April
11:00 – Featured Game
12:30 – Placement Game
14:00 – Semifinal 1
15:30 – Semifinal 2
17:00 – DJ Antoine
19:00 – Bronze Medal Game
20:30 – Gold Medal Game

 

Sport meets entertainment
Ultimate Hockey combines a fast-paced 3-on-3 format with an open event arena set up in front of the Olympic Stadium in Innsbruck. In addition to the games, fans can expect DJ acts, street-food stands, and live show elements, turning the tournament into a new kind of format that blends elite sport with festival atmosphere.

With international players, German national team professionals, and two major DJ performances (including the DJ party on Saturday at 20:30), the premiere in Innsbruck will mark the first highlight of the new Ultimate Hockey – Breaking the Ice Tour.

More information about 3x3 ice hockey you can find here.