SPHL Announces New Playoff Format
February 10, 2026 - 11:04 am
PEORIA, IL – The SPHL announced on Tuesday that starting this season, the league would be adopting an expanded “3-5-5” format for the President’s Cup Playoffs this season. The first round will remain a best-of-three series, while the semi-final and final rounds will each be a best-of-five game series.
From the SPHL release:
“The SPHL on Tuesday announced an expanded President’s Cup format, beginning this season, which was unanimously approved at last week’s Winter Meeting by the league’s Board of Governors.
The new format will increase both the semi-final and championship rounds to best-of-five formats, while the first round will remain a best-of-three series:
President’s Cup Playoff Format
The top eight (8) teams in the standings will make the playoffs
First Round
Series A - #1 seed vs. #8 seed
Series B - #2 seed vs. #7 seed
Series C - #3 seed vs. #6 seed
Series D - #4 seed vs. #5 seed
(All series are best-of three)
Semi-Finals
The four teams that advance from the first round will play each other based on original playoff seeding, with the highest-
seeded team playing the lowest, and the remaining teams playing each other. Both series are best-of-five.
President’s Cup Finals
The two remaining teams will meet in the best-of-five President’s Cup Final.”
The last time the Rivermen participated in a best-of-five series was in the 2022 President’s Cup Finals that saw Peoria defeat the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs in four games to clinch their first-ever President’s Cup championship.
The Rivermen are on the road this week for a three-game set in Moline, Illinois, against the Rival Storm. Face-off for Thursday’s contest is set for 10:00 am, while Friday and Saturday’s meetings will get underway starting at 7:10 pm.
