Belgium

Learn how to play hockey in
Belgium

Experience one of Europe’s hidden gems. Belgium kind of feels like three countries meshed into one- a little French in the south, Dutch throughout, and a bit of German near the border, all packed into one small country.

Belgium offers world-class culture, architecture, and food (the chocolate/beer live up to the hype). Whether you want to explore medieval cities like Bruges and Ghent or explore Brussels international atmosphere as the EU capital, there’s no shortage of experiences for players. The hockey scene is growing (especially in the CEHL), and the central location is unbeatable.

Ex-pat Friendliness:

High
Getting by day-to-day as an import player is usually pretty smooth. Most adults under the age of 50 can speak English (alongside several other languages). The one exception is in the French region called Wallonia. Most of the population can speak some English, but they may not be as willing to speak it with you.

Cost of Living:

Moderate
Depending on which city you're playing hockey in, the cost of living will range a bit.

Weather/Climate:

Central European
Belgium generally has milder winters in the coldest months (35-45°F/2-7°C) and comfortable summers (64-73°F/18-23°C). Depending on where you're based in Belgium, the weather will differ a bit. Our players that have played here have told us the weather is often quite comfortable for walking around without winter jackets most of the season except Dec-Feb when it's a bit colder naturally.

Proximity of Travel:

Central Hub

Belgium is exceptionally well suited in the EU and is near many first class destinations.

Paris is roughly 1.5-3 hrs by train/car. Amsterdam 1.5-3 hours by train/car. Germany is a few hours by train/car.

The region is great for exploring Western Europe.

Hockey Culture:

On the Rise

The hockey scene in Belgium is slowly growing. Although it's still a smaller sport across the nation, the combination of strong imports coming to play here and local players developing, the level in the top league keeps elevating which in turn has helped the game gain more recognition overall.

Leagues

The top ice hockey league in Belgium at the senior/pro level is the CEHL (Central European Hockey League).

Underneath this, you have Belgium2 (1st division) which is at a lower tier. For youth players, you have various levels from U12 through U18.

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