The Belarusian Extraleague, abbreviated BHL, also known as the BETERA Extraleague for sponsorship reasons, or known as the Belarusian Open Championship, (), officially formed in 2006, is the top ice hockey league in Belarus. In its past, it has switched several times between being and not being an open league (in reference to allowing foreign teams), but for the 2008–2009 season, the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association decided to open the Belarusian Extraleague, the Belarusian Premier League and the Belarusian junior leagues.
Before the season 2018–2019 the Belarusian Extraleague was divided in two leagues: Extraleague A with 8 teams and Extraleague B with 9 teams. For the 2021–2022 season, this division into Extraleague A and Extraleague B was canceled, with 12 teams taking part in the single championship.
The Extraleague championships for the 2016–2017 season and 2017–2018 season were won by HC Neman Grodno.
The 2019/2020 Belarusian ice hockey championship was the only championship in the world that was not interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Teams from the BHL can participate in the IIHF's annual Champions Hockey League (CHL), competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the European/Asian Kontinental Hockey League). Going into the 2022–23 CHL season, the BHL was ranked the No. 7 league in Europe, allowing them to send their top team to compete in the CHL.
Current teams 2024–25 season Team City Arena Capacity Ice rink size Affiliate TeamAviator Baranovichi BaranovichiBaranovichi Ice Sports Palace2,158 –Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2) HK Brest Brest Brest Ice Sports Palace 2,000 60x30 Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2) HK Vitebsk Vitebsk Vitebsk Ice Sports Palace 1,900 61x30 Medvedi Vitebsk (Belarus2) HC Dinamo-Molodechno Molodechno Molodechno Ice Sports Palace 2,197 Dinamo-Olimpik Minsk (Belarus2) HK Gomel Gomel Gomel Ice Sports Palace 2,760 61х30 Rysi Gomel (Belarus2) HK Lida Lida Lida Ice Palace 1,000 60х30 Rytsari Lida (Belarus2) HK Lokomotiv Orsha Orsha Orsha Ice Sports Palace 3,500 Loko Orsha (Belarus2) Metallurg Zhlobin Zhlobin Ice Palace Metalurg 2,018 60x30 Belstal Zhlobin (Belarus2) HK Mogilev Mogilev Sports Palace Mogilev 3,048 60х30 Dneprovskiye Lvy Mogilev (Belarus2) HC Neman Grodno Grodno Grodno Ice Sports Palace 2,550 60x30 Progress Grodno (Belarus2) Khimik Novopolotsk Novopolotsk Novopolotsk Palace of Sports and Culture 1,200 Neftekhimik Novopolotsk (Belarus2)Slavutych Smolensk SmolenskSGAFKST Arena – –Independent HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk Soligorsk Soligorsk Sports and Entertainment Complex 1,759 60х29 Yastreby Pinsk (Belarus2) HC Yunost-Minsk Minsk Čyžoŭka-Arena 8,807 61x30 HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL)Yunior Minsk (Belarus2)
Former teams Team City Arena Capacity Belarus U20 Minsk Čyžoŭka-Arena Practice ice rink 473 Belarus U18 Raǔbičy Indoor ice rink of sport complex Raǔbičy 300 Yastreby Pinsk Pinsk Ice arena of the Universal sports complex Volna 598 HC Babruysk Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,191 Dinamo U20 Bobruisk Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,151 Dinamo Minsk Minsk Minsk Sports Palace 3,311 Keramin Minsk Minsk Minsk Ice Palace 1,823 Shinnik Bobruisk Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,151 Sokil Kyiv Brovary Kyiv Ice Arena TEC TerminalKyiv Palace of Sports 1,5007,200 Tivali Minsk Minsk Minsk Sports Palace 3,311 Torpedo Minsk Minsk Unknown – Triumph Minsk Minsk Unknown – Yunior Minsk Minsk Ice Palace Yunost Minsk 767 HK Liepājas Metalurgs Liepāja Ice Arena Liepājas Metalurgs 1,700 HK Riga 2000 Riga Inbox.lv ledus halle 2,000 ASK/Ogre Ogre Vidzemes Ledus Halle 1,880 DHK Latgale Daugavpils Daugavpils Ice Arena 1,234
Champions by season Extraleague/Extraleague A
1992–93: Tivali Minsk 1993–94: Tivali Minsk 1994–95: Tivali Minsk 1995–96: Polimir Novopolotsk 1996–97: Polimir Novopolotsk 1997–98: Neman Grodno 1998–99: Neman Grodno 1999–2000: Tivali Minsk 2000–01: Neman Grodno 2001–02: Keramin Minsk 2002–03: HK Gomel 2003–04: Yunost Minsk 2004–05: Yunost Minsk 2005–06: Yunost Minsk 2006–07: Dinamo Minsk 2007–08: Keramin Minsk 2008–09: Yunost Minsk 2009–10: Yunost Minsk 2010–11: Yunost Minsk 2011–12: Metallurg Zhlobin 2012–13: Neman Grodno 2013–14: Neman Grodno 2014–15: HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 2015–16: Yunost Minsk 2016–17: Neman Grodno 2017–18: Neman Grodno 2018–19: Yunost Minsk 2019–20: Yunost Minsk 2020–21: Yunost Minsk 2021–22: Metallurg Zhlobin 2022–23: Metallurg Zhlobin 2023–24: Metallurg Zhlobin 2024–25: Yunost Minsk 2025–26: Metallurg Zhlobin
Extraleague B
2018–19: HK Lokomotiv Orsha 2019–20: HK Lokomotiv Orsha 2020–21: Khimik Novopolotsk
Titles by team Extraleague/Extraleague A Titles Club Years 11 Yunost Minsk 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2025 7 HC Neman Grodno 1998, 1999, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 5 Tivali Minsk/HC Dinamo-Minsk* 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2007* 5 Metallurg Zhlobin 2012, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 2 Polimir Novopolotsk 1996, 1997 2 Keramin Minsk 2002, 2008 1 HK Gomel 2003 1 HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 2015
Extraleague B Titles Club Years 2 HK Lokomotiv Orsha 2019, 2020 1 Khimik Novopolotsk 2021
References
External links Official website Belarusian Extraleague at hockey.by Belarusian hockey website Belarus hockey archive website