CME Group to Launch World's First NHL Futures Based on CME FutureSports Performance Indexes on September 28

Rhea-AI Summary

CME Group (NASDAQ:CME) announced plans to launch the world’s first index-based NHL Hockey futures on September 28, pending regulatory review. The contracts will be based on CME FutureSports Performance Indexes (CME FSPI) using exclusive, real-time NHL team statistics starting with the 2026-2027 season.

The new products will include standard-sized contracts valued at 10x the underlying CME FSPI NHL index levels and micro-sized contracts at 1/10 that value. According to CME Group, these futures are designed to let fans, sponsors, broadcasters and other stakeholders manage financial exposure linked to NHL team performance on a regulated, centrally cleared marketplace.

News Explained

Regulatory review remains the immediate gate before CME’s new NHL futures can begin trading.

CME Group announced plans to add NHL performance futures to its exchange product lineup on September 28, 2026, subject to regulatory review; the disclosure concerns a new trading product rather than a stated change to existing ownership.

The date is conditional: because CME says the launch remains pending regulatory review, trading is planned rather than confirmed.

CME FSPI indexes convert official NHL statistics into rules-based benchmark metrics, with points assigned for positive actions and deducted for negative plays or setbacks.

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• New Standard-sized and Micro-sized contracts will be benchmarked to official NHL statistics

CHICAGO, August 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced it will launch the world's first index-based Hockey futures on September 28, pending regulatory review. The new contracts will track CME FutureSports Performance Indexes that include exclusive, real-time National Hockey League (NHL) statistics beginning with the 2026-2027 season.

"With our first major-league futures contracts on our NHL indexes, CME Group is bringing the principles and discipline of regulated markets to the businesses that need to manage price risk in professional sports," said Tim McCourt, Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group. "Financial institutions, companies and individuals rely on the transparency and infrastructure of CME Group to hedge across all investable asset classes. Our CME FSPI Hockey futures will provide a capital-efficient way for fans, sponsors, broadcasters, third-party arena operators, retailers, food and beverage vendors and others to navigate the risk associated with the performance of each NHL team."

Steve Byrd, Head of Partnerships at FutureSports, said: "In just a matter of weeks, market participants and members of the hockey and sports ecosystem will have the first opportunity to trade a professional financial instrument based on indexes of continuous play-by-play performance statistics of each and every NHL team. NHL teams generated a record $1.53 billion in sponsorship revenue in the 2024-25 season and drew more than 23 million fans into arenas last season – the highest total attendance in the league's 108-year history. Interest is extraordinarily high, and we're delighted to bring these indexes to fruition with our partner, the NHL, and to the world's leading derivatives market with futures contracts trading on CME Group, our exclusive exchange partner."

CME Group Hockey futures will be available in standard-sized contracts, valued at 10x the value of the underlying CME FSPI NHL indexes, and micro-sized contracts that are 1/10 the value of those indexes. Participants can trade live around the clock, allowing for immediate positions on a regulated exchange with central clearing safeguards, transparent pricing and equal market access.

CME FSPI Indexes structure official sports statistics into rules-based, benchmark financial metrics. The performance of the indexes will be calculated using systematic methodologies where point allocations follow transparent statistical frameworks – adding points for positive actions and subtracting for negative plays or setbacks.

The CME FSPI Index methodologies align with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Financial Benchmarks and are supported by published governance and oversight procedures.

For more information, contract specifications and updates on the product rollout, and to learn more about the indexes or how to subscribe to index data visit cmegroup.com/fspi.

As the world's leading derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) enables clients to trade futures, options, cash and OTC markets, optimize portfolios, and analyze data – empowering market participants worldwide to efficiently manage risk and capture opportunities. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, cryptocurrencies, energy, agricultural products and metals.  The company offers futures and options on futures trading through the CME Globex platform, fixed income trading via BrokerTec and foreign exchange trading on the EBS platform.  In addition, it operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers, CME Clearing. 

CME Group, the Globe logo, CME, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Globex, and E-mini are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc. BrokerTec is a trademark of BrokerTec Americas LLC and EBS is a trademark of EBS Group LTD. The S&P 500 Index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC ("S&P DJI"). "S&P®", "S&P 500®", "SPY®", "SPX®", US 500 and The 500 are trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC; Dow Jones®, DJIA® and Dow Jones Industrial Average are service and/or trademarks of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. These trademarks have been licensed for use by Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. Futures contracts based on the S&P 500 Index are not sponsored, endorsed, marketed, or promoted by S&P DJI, and S&P DJI makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE CME Group

FAQ

What NHL futures product is CME Group (CME) launching on September 28, 2026?

CME Group plans to launch the world’s first index-based NHL Hockey futures on September 28, 2026, pending regulatory review. According to CME Group, these contracts will track CME FutureSports Performance Indexes built from official, real-time NHL statistics for each team starting in the 2026-2027 season.

How will the new CME FutureSports Performance Index (FSPI) NHL futures contracts work for CME (CME) traders?

The new CME FSPI NHL futures will be exchange-traded contracts linked to rules-based indexes of NHL team statistics. According to CME Group, index methodologies add points for positive plays and subtract for negative plays, aligning with IOSCO benchmark principles and supported by published governance and oversight procedures.

What contract sizes are offered for the CME (CME) NHL FSPI futures?

CME Group will offer standard-sized NHL FSPI futures valued at 10x the underlying index and micro-sized contracts at 1/10 that value. According to CME Group, this structure enables different market participants to tailor exposure to NHL team performance with varying capital commitments.

Who can benefit from trading the new CME Group (CME) NHL FSPI futures?

According to CME Group, potential users include fans, sponsors, broadcasters, third-party arena operators, retailers and food and beverage vendors. These NHL FSPI futures are intended to help such participants manage financial risk associated with each team’s on-ice performance in a regulated, centrally cleared environment.

When will CME Group’s (CME) NHL FSPI indexes start using official NHL statistics?

The CME FutureSports Performance Indexes for NHL teams will begin using exclusive, real-time official NHL statistics with the 2026-2027 season. According to CME Group, these continuous play-by-play data feeds form the basis for calculating each index that underlies the new standard and micro NHL futures contracts.

Are CME Group (CME) NHL FSPI futures available for trading around the clock?

Yes. CME Group states that its NHL FSPI futures will be tradable nearly 24 hours a day on a regulated exchange. According to CME Group, this setup provides immediate positioning, central clearing safeguards, transparent pricing and equal market access for global participants managing NHL performance-related risk.