After a successful 2025-26 season, England Hockey welcomes 16 new teams into the Open/Men’s and Women’s England Hockey Leagues (EHL) for 2026-27.
The England Hockey League is the pinnacle of club hockey in England; the top 12 teams compete to be the England Hockey League Premier Division Champions and qualify for the EuroHockey League next season.
In the Women’s Premier Division, Buckingham return after a three-year absence and Teddington having secured promotion to EHL Conference East in 2023, followed by promotion to Div 1 South in 2025 gained a second consecutive promotion, to reach the Premier Division of the England Hockey League for the first time in the club’s long history.
Women’s Division One sees Conference Midlands winners, Leicester City return to Division One North and North winners, Bowdon 2s gaining promotion for the first time. In Division One South Team Bath Buccaneers return having won Conference West and Old Loughtonians Conference East champions are newcomers at this level.
The eight newcomers to the Conferences are the Area League winners. North – Timperley (NW) and City Of York (YNE), Midlands – University of Nottingham 2s (M) and Bedford (E), East –Southgate 2s (L) and East Grinstead 2s (SE), West –Witney (SC) and Penarth (W).
In the Men’s Premier Division, University of Exeter play at this level for the first time whilst Bowdon are back in the topflight
Men’s Division One sees Conference Midlands winners, leek securing their second consecutive promotion, are newcomers to Division One North while North winners, Leeds returning having been regulated in 2024-25. In Division One South Hampstead & Westminster 2s who won Conference East and Clifton Robinson who won Conference West, both make the step up.
The eight newcomers to the Conferences are the Area League winners. North –Brooklands Manchester University 2s (NW) and Sheffield University Bankers (YNE), Midlands –Nottingham Trent University (M) and Blueharts (E), East – Richmond 2s (L) and Oxted 2s (SE), West – Trojans (SC) and Bristol Firebrands (W).
Women:
| Premier Division |
| Birmingham University |
| Bowdon |
| East Grinstead |
| Hampstead & Westminster |
| Loughborough Students |
| Reading |
| Surbiton |
| Wimbledon |
| Durham University |
| Teddington |
| Buckingham |
| Division One North | Division One South |
| Beeston | Bristol Firebrands |
| Ben Rhydding | Exeter University |
| Clifton Robinsons | Team Bath Buccaneers |
| Gloucester City | Old Loughtonians |
| Pendle Forest | Sevenoaks |
| Sutton Coldfield | Southgate |
| Loughborough Students 2s | Surbiton 2 |
| Leeds | Holcombe |
| Bowdon 2 | Barnes |
| Leicester City | Reading 2s |
| Women’s Conference East | Women’s Conference Midlands | Women’s Conference West | Women’s Conference North |
| Canterbury | Birmingham University 2 | Exeter | Didsbury Northern |
| Hampstead & Westminster 2 | Cambridge City | Lansdown | Durham University 2 |
| London Wayfarers | Cambridge University | Marlow | Fylde |
| Old Georgians | St Albans | Trojans | Newcastle University |
| Spencer | Nottingham Trent University | Slough | Whitley Bay & Tynemouth |
| Wimbledon 2 | Stourport | Oxford University | Kirkby Stephen |
| Guildford | Harleston Magpies | Cardiff & Met | Timperley |
| Barnes 2 | Olton & West Warwickshire | Penarth | City of York |
| Southgate 2 | Bedford | Witney | Alderley Edge |
| East Grinstead 2 | Nottingham Univ 2 | Oxford Hawks | Repton |
Open/Men’s:
| Premier Division |
| Beeston |
| Bowdon |
| Cardiff & Met |
| East Grinstead |
| Hampstead & Westminster |
| Holcombe |
| Old Georgians |
| Oxted |
| Reading |
| Surbiton |
| Wimbledon |
| University Of Exeter |
| Division One North | Division One South |
| Birmingham University | Southgate |
| Durham University | Surbiton 2 |
| Harborne | Indian Gymkhana |
| Loughborough Students | Old Loughtonians |
| Nottingham University | Sevenoaks |
| Brooklands MU | Teddington |
| Timperley | Richmond |
| Repton | Guildford |
| Leeds | Hampstead & Westminster 2 |
| Leek | Clifton Robinsons |
| Open/Mens Conference East | Open/Mens Conference Midlands | Open/Mens Conference West | Open/Mens Conference North |
| London Wayfarers | Banbury | Ashmoor | Deeside Ramblers |
| Old Cranleighan | Barford Tigers | Chichester | Didsbury Northern |
| Spencer | Norwich City | University of Exeter 2 | Doncaster |
| Bromley & Beckenham | Nottingham University 2 | Fareham | Durham University 2 |
| Southgate 2 | St Albans | Team Bath Buccaneers | Sheffield |
| Holcombe 2 | City of Peterbrough | Cardiff & Met 2 | Lindum |
| Canterbury | Oxford Hawks | Marlow | Neston |
| Chelmesford | Olton & West Warwickshire | Trojans | Newcastle University |
| Richmond 2 | Blueharts | Bristol Firebrands | Brooklands MU 2s |
| Oxted 2 | Nottingham Trent University | Havant | Sheffield University Bankers |
See the Women’s and Men’s maps showing the allocation of teams to Divisions. In determining the allocations the following is considered
The need to divide Division One into two Divisions and the Conferences into four Divisions all of 10 teams.
- The overall geographic spread of teams – this means that on occasions clubs that are close to each other may not play in the same Division. Also that Men’s and Women’s teams from the same club may play in different geographic Divisions.
- Travel times as well as geographic proximity.
- The overall impact on the combined travel for all the teams in a particular Division.
- At Conference level minimising the number of Divisions teams from the same Area participate in
Not switching teams between different Divisions each season unless the factors above demonstrate it is clearly required