National County Championships Return – Hampshire to Field Four Teams
Hampshire U15 and U17 squads will compete in the expanded 2026 NCC as defending champions and strong contenders.
(Last year's Hampshire U17 Teams - NCC Champions!)
July/We’re excited to confirm that the National County Championships (NCC) are returning for 2026—and this year promises to be bigger, better, and more competitive than ever.
For the first time, the event will run as two separate tournaments, one for U15s and one for U17s, providing a wider platform for county players to compete at a high level and represent their region on the national stage.
📆 Tournament Dates
U15: 15/16/17 July 2026
U17: 19/20/21 July 2026
👕 Hampshire’s Involvement
Hampshire has committed to entering teams in all four categories:
- U15 Boys
- U15 Girls
- U17 Boys
- U17 Girls
Selections for these squads will be made from those nominated to the Hampshire Performance Centre.
🏆 Defending U17 Champions
In 2025, both our U17 Boys and U17 Girls were crowned National Champions—an incredible achievement that reflected the dedication of our players, coaches, and volunteers across the entire Player Pathway.
We’ll be heading to the 2026 competition not only to defend our titles, but to build on that success and give more players the chance to experience elite tournament hockey in a county shirt.
🌍 Growing Competition
Following the huge success of last year’s event, we anticipate a significantly larger number of counties will be entering teams in 2026. With more fixtures, more diversity in opposition, and greater exposure for players, the NCC is fast becoming a standout event on the national calendar—and a valuable experience for anyone serious about developing their game.
💷 Costs & Contribution
Due to rising entry fees and our intention to field four squads, we expect the per-player cost to increase slightly this year compared to 2025. While Hampshire subsidised a large portion of the entry last year, we are unlikely to be able to support at the same level for 2026.
Exact costs will be confirmed in due course, but we anticipate that the player fee will be in line with the England Hockey TA Competition—while offering considerably more hockey over the course of the tournament.
🔜 More Information to Follow
We’ll publish further updates—including selection details, squad announcements, venues, and kit information—as the season progresses.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact me!
📩
koo.janzen@hampshirehockey.net
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