O’Brien Icehouse to host 2026 AIHL Finals Series

The AIHL is pleased to announce that the AIHL Finals Series will return to Melbourne this year.

The 2026 AIHL Finals Series will once again be played at the O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne, from Friday, August 28^th to Sunday, August 30^th.

The finals format will remain unchanged from the 2025 season, with the top 6 teams battling it out for a chance to play for the Goodall Cup on Sunday afternoon.

The announcement follows a highly competitive bidding process for the 2026 instalment, after the completion of a 3-year deal which saw the O’Brien Icehouse host the Finals Series for the last three seasons.

“The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the O’Brien Icehouse in Melbourne will host the 2026 AIHL Finals. Their proven track record in hosting top-tier ice events, combined with strong local partnerships and an excellent playing surface, secured them this honour. The decision was challenging due to the high calibre of all candidates,” AIHL Chairman Dan Hogan said.

“O’Brien Icehouse is very proud to once again be selected to host the Australian Ice Hockey League Finals Series in 2026. Having hosted this major event for many years, we thank the AIHL Board for their continued confidence in our venue and team,” Icehouse General Manager Lee Gordon said.

“As a key Icehouse partner, the Australian Ice Hockey League continues to grow and has become one of the most exciting sporting competitions in Australia. We’re excited to play our part in developing ice hockey nationally and delivering a fantastic finals experience for the entire hockey community.”

“The 2026 AIHL Finals Series will be the culmination of six exciting months of Ice Hockey at the Icehouse starting with the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey Leage Finals in March followed by the Australian v New Zealand Tri-Series on March 13,14 and 15 March, then 30 games of Australian Men’s Ice Hockey culminating with the Finals at the end of August,” Icehouse Executive Director Athol Hodgetts said.

“O’Brien Icehouse maintains our commitment to hosting the best ice hockey in Australia as well as growing the sport at all levels.”

Ticketing, broadcast and other information regarding the 2026 Finals Series will be released at a later date, so keep your eyes out for further announcements on the AIHL’s social media channels.

The AIHL looks forward to seeing everyone for the start of the 2026 AIHL season on April 17th!