The games of Finding A Group 1 and Finding A Group 2 of the U20 DNL (German Young Talent League) have been completed and the participating clubs of the Top Division and Qualification Round 1 have thus been determined.
Top division
The first to fourth places in Qualification A Group 1 and Qualification A Group 2 will compete in the U20 Top Division starting Saturday, October 18, 2025. The matches will be played in a double round robin format. The participating teams are:
- Young Eagle Mannheim
- Kölner Junghaie
- Krefelder EV 81
- EV Landshut
- ERC Ingolstadt
- ESC Dresden
- Eisbären Juniors Berlin
- Iserlohn EC
The schedule is available at: https://deb-online.live/liga/herren/u20-dnl/?divisionId=18705
qualifying round 1
In Qualifying Round 1, the clubs ranked fifth to eighth from Qualifying A Group 1 and Qualifying A Group 2 will face each other. This round also features a double round, starting in two days.
The following teams will compete:
- Young polar bears Regensburg
- SC Bietigheim-Bissingen
- Augsburg EV
- EC Bad Tölz
- Düsseldorfer EG
- ESV Kaufbeuren
- Starbulls Rosenheim
- Schwenninger ERC
The corresponding schedule can be viewed here: https://deb-online.live/liga/herren/u20-dnl/?divisionId=18706
Once all matches in both groups have been played, the teams ranked first to fourth in the top division automatically qualify for the playoff quarter-finals and play for the 20/2025 German U2026 championship title. The teams ranked fifth to eighth compete against the teams ranked first to fourth in qualifying round 1 in the pre-playoffs for the remaining four places in the playoff quarter-finals.
The fifth- to eighth-placed teams from Qualifying Round 1 will compete against each other in the pre-playdowns. The two winning teams will remain in Division 1 for the upcoming 2026/2027 season. The two losing teams will compete in further playdowns against the first- and second-placed teams from Division 2. The two winning teams will also compete in Division 1 in the new season, while the losers will be relegated to Division 2.