Three weeks before the world's business leaders arrive, Davos hosts a very different kind of gathering. The Spengler Cup is the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world, held every year between Christmas and New Year in the town's arena — and for the locals, it is the event of the year.
A century of history
First played in 1923, the Spengler Cup was conceived by Dr Carl Spengler as a way to bring nations back together through sport in the aftermath of the First World War. A century on, it has kept its invitational format: a handful of top European club sides, plus the perennial Team Canada — a selection of Canadian professionals playing in Europe — compete in a short, intense round-robin and knockout over five or six days. The host club, HC Davos (HCD), plays every year, and Team Canada has long been the team to beat, with more titles than any other entrant.
The format
The tournament runs as a compact group stage feeding directly into semi-finals and a New Year's Eve final. Because it is so short and the standard so high, almost every game matters — there are no dead rubbers to sit through. The atmosphere in the Davos arena is famously close and loud, a contrast to the polished calm the town is better known for in January.
Visiting for the Spengler Cup
The tournament sits in the heart of the Christmas–New Year holiday week, which is also peak ski season, so Davos is busy and accommodation is in demand — though nothing like the scarcity of the Annual Meeting. If you are combining hockey with skiing, this is one of the best weeks of the year to be in town: the mountains are in full winter condition and the evenings have a real sense of occasion. Tickets for the marquee games go quickly, so plan both the seats and the stay well ahead.
Davos beyond January
The Spengler Cup is a useful reminder that Davos has a full life outside the forum. The same town that hosts heads of state in January is, the week before, packed with hockey fans and skiers — and in summer it is a hiking and mountain-biking base with a swimmable lake. If you are thinking about a return visit, or extending a stay either side of the Annual Meeting, the year-round guides cover what is on and when to come.
Planning a visit around the tournament or the ski season? Browse Davos accommodation or talk to our team about where to stay.