Men's Ice Hockey | 7/23/2026 3:00:00 PM

The United States Hockey League (USHL) has announced dates, times, and matchups for the 2026 Fall Classic, September 16-20, at the newly expanded Blackhawks Ice Center presented by Fifth Third Bank, located on Chicago’s west side.  The facility includes USG Arena, home of the Chicago Steel, where the majority of Fall Classic games will be played.

For a decade, the USHL Fall Classic has drawn more than 400 NCAA and NHL scouts to Cranberry Township, Pa. This marks the first year that every member club will meet in Chicago for their first two regular season games, each to be played during a five-day span that will also include a youth tournament for elite teams across four age groups. The signature event is expected to draw more than 2,000 athletes to Chicago.

“We are thrilled to welcome the USHL to Chicago for one of the signature events on the hockey calendar,” said Dan Lehv, Chicago Blackhawks Vice President, Affiliates and Chicago Steel President.  “We look forward to showcasing our brand new home to athletes, scouts, parents and fans.”

The 2026-27 season is slated to begin with a noon faceoff between the Des Moines Buccaneers and the Muskegon Lumberjacks on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 12 p.m. CT at USG Arena. The Steel will host its first game at USG Arena on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. CT against the Lincoln Stars, then will be the road team against the Omaha Lancers on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. CT. The event is staged to conclude on Sunday, Sept. 20, following a 3 p.m. CT matchup between the Omaha Lancers and Madison Capitols. The defending Clark Cup champion Sioux Falls Stampede rolls into Chicago for a pair of noon games, facing off against Madison on Saturday at 12 p.m. CT and the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) U-18 team on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT.

“The Blackhawks Ice Center presented by Fifth Third Bank is a state-of-the-art facility in a new, accessible location for our teams, scouts, and fans across the Midwest,” said Glenn Hefferan, USHL President and Commissioner. “We appreciate the work of Steel, Chicago Blackhawks, and Blackhawks Ice Center working to ensure we shine the bright lights of Windy City on the players in the USHL and across some of the top youth programs in North America.”

Wednesday, Sept. 16
Des Moines Buccaneers at Muskegon Lumberjacks - 12 p.m. CT
Sioux City Musketeers at Green Bay Gamblers - 3:30 p.m. CT
Fargo Force at Cedar Rapids RoughRiders - 7 p.m. CT

Thursday, Sept. 17
Youngstown Phantoms at Des Moines Buccaneers - 12 p.m. CT
Muskegon Lumberjacks at Waterloo Black Hawks - 3:30 p.m. CT
Dubuque Fighting Saints at Lincoln Stars - 4 p.m. CT (Rink 1)
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders at Sioux City Musketeers - 7 p.m. CT
Green Bay Gamblers at Fargo Force - 7:30 p.m. CT (Rink 1)

Friday, Sept. 18
Tri-City Storm at Dubuque Fighting Saints - 12 p.m. CT
Waterloo Black Hawks at Youngstown Phantoms - 3:30 p.m. CT
Lincoln Stars at Chicago Steel - 7 p.m. CT

Saturday, Sept. 19
Madison Capitols at Sioux Falls Stampede - 12 p.m. CT
NTDP U-18 Team at Tri-City Storm - 3:30 p.m. CT
Chicago Steel at Omaha Lancers - 7 p.m. CT

Sunday, Sept. 20
Sioux Falls Stampede at NTDP U-18 Team - 12 p.m. CT
Omaha Lancers at Madison Capitols - 3:30 p.m. CT

All USHL games will be played at USG Arena unless otherwise noted. Details about tickets and the youth tournament will be announced at a later date.

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 315 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and nine of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).