What is the name of Russia's top professional ice hockey league?

Russia’s top professional ice hockey league is the Kontinental Hockey League, commonly abbreviated KHL.

The KHL was founded in 2008 as the successor to Russia’s Russian Super League. Although it is based in Russia, it has always been designed as an international competition, with clubs from other countries participating alongside Russian teams. Its championship trophy is the Gagarin Cup.

The league is the top tier of Russian hockey, while the All-Russian Hockey League, formerly known as the Supreme Hockey League, operates below it as the second level. The KHL should also not be confused with Russia’s national team, which competes internationally under the Russian flag rather than as a club league.

The name “Kontinental” reflects the league’s broader geographic ambition. Its membership has included teams from countries such as Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Latvia, Slovakia, Finland and Croatia at different times. The KHL’s regular season and playoffs crown a club champion, while Russia also recognizes a national champion through its domestic structure.