Updated Statement On England Hockey's Competitions Programme

Vitality Women’s Hockey League and Men’s Hockey League

In consultation with clubs we have agreed an option for a shortened season where each team will play each other once, although no decision has been made in respect of the Premier Divisions due to the impact of international player availability. 

There will be promotion opportunities via play-offs but no relegation and teams had the option to withdraw without penalty. If activity can be run this would be done so during the period immediately post-Easter through to early May with preparation time pre-Easter. If restrictions do not permit league activity during this period, fixtures will not be further rescheduled and the season will be declared null and void. A decision will be made early in March.

Regional Leagues

England Hockey is in regular dialogue with Regional Leagues with the aim to agree consistent principles to concluding league seasons noting the varying circumstances of leagues.

It is England Hockey’s intention that the new league structure, as agreed as part of the AGM resolution will start in 2021-22. This includes the addition of a fourth EHL conference, the ten additional teams to be made up of two qualifiers from each of the five regional leagues. Regional leagues will inform clubs of the approach to this depending on their circumstances over coming weeks.

England Hockey Club Championships – Adult, Masters, Juniors

Clubs are being consulted on their appetite to participate in a revised programme of knockout Championships running from end of April to early July.  If restrictions do not permit activity during this period these Championships will not run. A decision will be made by end March.

The U14 and U16 competitions would run in a knockout format as part of the revised programme.

The revised programme means it is not possible to run the Summer Masters knockout Championships which were run in 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

England Hockey Schools Championships

It will not be possible to start the Championships post half term as had been provisionally agreed by participating schools.  It is not viable to play any meaningful competition in 2020-21 and therefore the Schools Championships programme will not be held in any form across all age groups.

In2Hockey Championships

It is not viable to hold any multi-team activity during the remainder of the 2020-21 season and no national In2Hockey championships will be run in 2020-21.

Other activity – Mens County Championships and Regional Masters Championships

These competitions are run as weekend tournaments scheduled in May and June. A decision will be made end of February if they will still be held.

2021-22 Season

We have started our planning for the 2021-22 season in the hope of course that this will run without the disruption experienced in 2020-21. We aim to have a first draft of the centralised calendar out by the beginning of March.