The Braehead Clan have been accepted into the league and will use the 4000-seater Braehead Arena five miles out of Glasgow.
The club was formed by a group of Elite League ice hockey club owners headed by Nottingham's Neil Black and will announce the club's general manager and coach shortly.
Black said: "This is a fantastic shot in the arm for British ice hockey and will strengthen the appeal of the game to fans all over the country.
"People should be in no doubt that British ice hockey is being strengthened and developed with an expanded league. The Braehead Clan team will bring a new excitement to rinks up and down the country.
"Hockey fans from England, Wales and Northern Ireland can look forward to some great weekends in Scotland playing both Edinburgh Capitals in the east coast and Braehead Clan through in the west.
"And there will undoubtedly be a great rivalry between the west and east of Scotland Elite League teams when the Capitals and Braehead Clan clash on the ice."