Following consultation with players, clubs, officials, and the wider hockey community, England Hockey will be updating the terminology used to describe our playing categories. From the 2025/26 season, the current ‘Men’s’ category will be renamed to ‘Open/Men’ at adult level and ‘Open/Boys’ at junior level. The Women’s category will remain unchanged.
This update is informed by feedback from our recent survey, in which:
- 47% of respondents favoured the term ‘Open’ to describe an inclusive category
- A further 17.7% expressed no strong preference
- 31% supported retaining reference to ‘men’ or ‘male’
The updated naming aims to:
- Reflect the inclusive intent of the category, while acknowledging the traditional association with men’s hockey
- Create consistency between adult and junior competitions (‘Open/Men’ and ‘Open/Boys’)
- Lead with the word ‘Open’, which was most strongly supported and reflects the evolving nature of participation
- Allow space for further evolution, recognising that language and understanding may continue to develop
For clarity: club team names will not be affected by this terminology change and will remain at the discretion of individual clubs.
We recognise this is a complex and emotive area, and we thank everyone who contributed their views. England Hockey remains committed to ensuring our sport is safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all.
