Challenge Cup Qualification

[Doom]

I hope somebody understands the qualifying criteria, because I'm lost.

The Steelers website states:

Cardiff, Sheffield, Coventry and Nottingham are chasing the 2 automatic semi final positions in the group, with a 3rd team placed into a play-off with the 2nd place team of the Northern group. One team will join Manchester and Guildford in missing out all together.

The EIHL website states:

There’s a small tweak coming to the Challenge Cup format next season, following a decision agreed by all 10 EIHL teams at July’s league meeting.

In 2025/26, Semi-Final seeding will be based on win percentage from the group stage, rather than the top seed choosing their opponent.

Here’s how it’ll work:

The two group winners will be seeded 1st and 2nd, based on their group stage win percentages.
The remaining two qualifiers will be seeded 3rd and 4th, also by win percentage.

I take the EIHL article to mean there's only one automatic qualifier from our group and after that chances of qualification come down to win percentage. In theory 3 out of the 4 semi finalists could come from the other group, although most likely is 2 from each group.

Have the Steelers website got it wrong and are quoting last seasons rules (which I'd suggest were fairer)?

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

No, it's still top 2 from ours plus top 1 from the other. There's still the play in game, but once decided, the 4 qualifiers are then seeded based on win %.

Only bit that's changed is top seed doesn't get to pick, win % determines who plays who in the semis

[Doom]

Thanks ginger, that would seem to be the sensible way of doing things, with our group being larger and more difficult.

The Steelers website seemed very clear, the EIHL website less so.

Regards

Doom

[Firefox1001]

There are 4 qualifying spots available.
Group A - 2 definite qualifier plus a possible 3rd,
Group B - 1 definite qualifier plus a possible 2nd.

3rd in Group A plays 2nd in Group B for the final place.

Group A & B Winner seeded 1+2 based on pts%,
The 3rd & 4th qualifiers (after the play-in game) are also sorted by pts%.

1 v 4, 2 v 3 as the semi finals.

[Shaun]

I believe the Qtr Final/play in game doesn’t count in the win percentage.


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[Brian]

The way we are playing it's fast becoming irrelevant!