River Dragons Unveil 2026-27 Regular Season Schedule

COLUMBUS, GA – The Columbus River Dragons, in conjunction with the Federal Prospects Hockey League, have announced the club's schedule for the 2026-27 regular season.

The FPHL enters a new era this season with 17 teams aligned into two conferences and four divisions. Columbus will compete in the Western Conference's Delta Division alongside the Mid-South Monarchs, Monroe Moccasins, and Baton Rouge Kingfish. Each club will play a balanced 56-game schedule, consisting of 28 home games and 28 road contests.

The River Dragons open the season on the road with a two-game series against the Blue Ridge Bobcats in Wytheville, Virginia on October 16 and 17 before returning home for Opening Weekend on October 23 and 24. Columbus will welcome the three-time defending Commissioner's Cup Champion Binghamton Black Bears to the Columbus Civic Center in a marquee matchup to begin the home slate.

The Black Bears are led by former River Dragons assistant coach Brant Sherwood, who helped Columbus capture the Ignite Cup championship during the 2020-21 season alongside Jerome Bechard.

Welcome to the Lair

Nine different opponents will make their way to the Columbus Civic Center during the 2026-27 season.

The inaugural Mid-South Monarchs will visit Columbus six times, while the Twin City Thunderbirds, Blue Ridge Bobcats, and Monroe Moccasins each make four appearances. The Binghamton Black Bears, Motor City Rockers, Baton Rouge Kingfish, Fresno Falcons, and Oceanside HC will each visit twice.

The Dragons' longest homestand stretches six games from February 5 through February 20. Columbus will also enjoy a five-game homestand from March 5 through March 17.

Road Trippin’ 

Columbus will visit six different opponents throughout the regular season, highlighted by a pair of games against the Port Huron Prowlers on March 26 and 27 in the club's longest road trip by distance (approximately 900 miles).

Within the Delta Division, the Dragons will travel to Monroe and Baton Rouge six times each, while making five trips to Blue Ridge and Twin City and four to Mid-South.

The club's longest road swing spans eight consecutive games from March 19 through April 3, with stops in Blue Ridge, Port Huron, Baton Rouge, and Monroe. Outside of that stretch, Columbus will not spend more than two consecutive weekends away from home.

Inaugural Matchups

The 2026-27 season also features several first-time matchups and new-look opponents.

The River Dragons and inaugural Mid-South Monarchs will meet for the first time on Friday, October 30 at the Landers Center in Southaven, Mississippi.

The Fresno Falcons make their first-ever trip to Columbus on Friday, November 20, while the newly rebranded Baton Rouge Kingfish host the River Dragons for the first time on Friday, December 18 at Raising Cane's River Center.

Oceanside HC will make its first visit to the Columbus Civic Center on Friday, March 5.

Battle of the Beasts

One of the most anticipated season series on the schedule will once again feature the Columbus River Dragons and Twin City Thunderbirds.

The longtime rivals will meet nine times during the regular season, beginning with a Thanksgiving Eve matchup in Columbus on Wednesday, November 25.

The clubs will then square off in a home-and-home series on December 4 in Winston-Salem and December 5 in Columbus before the Thunderbirds return to the Civic Center on December 26 and St. Patrick's Day, March 17.

Columbus will make two additional trips to Winston-Salem on January 8 and 9 before the rivalry concludes during the final weekend of the regular season on April 16 and 17 at the Fairgrounds Arena.

Delta Division Showdowns

With the introduction of divisional play, exactly half of Columbus' regular-season schedule will come against Delta Division opponents.

The River Dragons will face the Mid-South Monarchs and Monroe Moccasins 10 times each while meeting the Baton Rouge Kingfish eight times.

Under the FPHL's revised postseason format, each division champion will earn an automatic berth into the Division Championship round. The second and third-place teams in each division will compete in a play-in round, with format details to be finalized by the FPHL Board of Governors.

Division champions will then advance to their respective conference championship series, with the Western Conference champion earning a berth in the Commissioner's Cup Finals.

Hockey for the Holidays

The River Dragons' schedule features several marquee holiday matchups throughout the season.

Columbus spends Halloween weekend on the road against the Mid-South Monarchs on October 30 and 31 before returning home to host the Twin City Thunderbirds on Thanksgiving Eve, November 25.

The Thunderbirds return to Columbus the day after Christmas on Saturday, December 26, before the Dragons ring in the New Year with a January 1 matchup against Mid-South in Southaven.

Valentine's Weekend brings another divisional showdown as the Monarchs visit the Columbus Civic Center on February 12 and 13.

The Dragons celebrate St. Patrick's Day at home against Twin City on Wednesday, March 17 before traveling to Port Huron for a Good Friday and Holy Saturday series on March 26 and 27, returning home to enjoy Easter Sunday before the final stretch of the regular season.

Matchups By Opponent

Mid South - 10        

Monroe - 10

Twin City - 9

Blue Ridge - 9

Baton Rouge - 8

Binghamton - 2

Fresno - 2

Motor City - 2

Oceanside - 2

Port Huron - 2

Don’t Miss a Second!

Subscribe to the River Dragons YouTube channel for the broadcast of all 56 regular season games. 

Season Tickets are on sale now! Click the link here to lock in your seat to all 28 Dragon’s home games this year.