Polish Ice Hockey Rolls Out AI Cameras Across 28 Rinks Ahead of New Season

Polish ice hockey is entering a new season with technology that, until now, has mostly been associated with top foreign leagues. The Polish Ice Hockey Federation (Polski Związek Hokeja na Lodzie, PZHL) has signed a deal with Sportway Media Group to deploy an AI-based camera system that will automatically stream games from lower leagues, youth competitions and amateur play, while giving coaches and players tools for game analysis.

The system's installation was announced at a press conference dedicated to the 2026/27 season, where PZHL president Krzysztof Woźniak outlined three pillars of change for Polish hockey: a new junior training system, AI-based video technology, and expanded broadcasts on TVP Sport. According to the federation, the growth of the TAURON Hokej Liga is meant to go hand in hand with investment in young players and the modernization of sports infrastructure.

How the camera system works

Sportway's cameras operate without an operator, automatically tracking play on the ice and streaming the footage online. The system is meant to make available footage from games that had rarely been publicly broadcast before, namely lower-league, junior and amateur competitions.

Beyond broadcasting, the technology is also meant to serve as a coaching tool. Coaches, players and referees will get access to match recordings and analysis through the Team Account app, allowing them to break down individual plays in detail without clubs having to manually record and edit footage themselves.

The partnership with Sportway is an important step in the development of Polish hockey. Introducing modern technology will increase viewership of the games - Krzysztof Woźniak, president of the Polish Ice Hockey Federation

We are proud to begin this partnership with the Polish Ice Hockey Federation and to support the further development of ice hockey in Poland - Daniel Franck, director of Sportway Media Group

A new junior system

The rollout of the AI cameras coincides with the launch of the Junior Hockey System (Hokejowy System Juniorski), a financial mechanism designed to reward TAURON Hokej Liga clubs for the actual ice time given to young players. The more minutes juniors get on the ice, the greater the financial support their club receives.

President Woźniak stressed that young players should regularly move from junior competitions into senior play, and that the new system is meant to encourage clubs to give them real opportunities rather than simply listing them on the roster. The federation frames this as an investment in players, clubs and the Polish national team all at once.

Sanok and Nowy Targ return

Podhale Nowy Targ, one of the most decorated clubs in Polish hockey history, returns to the top flight after five years. It's joined by STS Sanok-Sokół, a team formed through a merger of the Sanok club with Ukraine's Sokół Kyiv, a move that had raised questions about the team's identity.

This remains 100 percent a Polish club from Sanok. Our crest, colors, arena and fans, none of that is changing - Marek Pieniążek, president of STS Sanok-Sokół

The regular season will run through February 21, 2027, with the playoffs starting on February 26 and the Polish champion expected to be crowned in April 2027. Ten teams in the top division is the most since the 2020/21 season.

What it means for fans and clubs

For Polish hockey, a sport still niche in terms of budgets and media exposure compared with football or volleyball, automated AI cameras represent a genuine chance to grow audiences without costly TV crews. Smaller clubs and junior competitions, which previously had virtually no broadcasts, are gaining access to technology once reserved for Europe's top leagues.

For coaches, it also means easier access to analytical footage without dedicating their own resources to filming and editing, which, across the country and the 28 planned rinks, could translate into more systematic training for young players, in line with the goals of the new junior system.