Wellington Hockey is excited to share the key season dates for 2026, giving our community an early look at another big year of hockey ahead.
These dates provide a helpful overview for players, families, clubs, officials, and volunteers to begin planning across summer, winter, school, and representative hockey. While all dates are expected to be final, they remain subject to change and any updates will be communicated promptly.
Key Dates at a Glance
Summer Season
Summer Hockey
Term 1 Summer Hockey (Sixes and Elevens): 27–28 January – 3–4 March
Hockey Nines Tournament: 7–8 March
Term 4 Summer Hockey (Sixes and Elevens): 27–28 October – 1–2 December
Local Masters Competition: 15 October – 3 December
Winter Season
Open Grade Hockey
Opening Weekend: No earlier than 21–22 March
Intercity Competition Starts: 9 May
Intercity Finals: 13 June
Finals Weekend (All Grades): No later than 22–23 August
Secondary School Hockey
P1 & P2 Grades Start: 1 May
Junior Grades Start: 6 May
P3 & P4 Grades Start: 7 May
College Finals Week: 19–21 August
Winter Tournament Week: 31 August – 5 September
Junior Hockey
Junior Hockey Starts: 2 May
No Play (Public / School Holidays): 30 May, 4 July, 11 July
Junior Hockey Concludes: 12 September
Tournaments & Events
Hosted in Wellington
Educare Under 21 Invitational Tournament: 3–5 July
National Hockey Championship (NHC): 13–19 September
Jenny Hair Cup (Tier 3 Secondary School Tournament): 31 August – 4 September
Other Key Tournaments
National Masters: 22–28 February
National Under 18 Championships: 5–11 July
National Under 16 Championships: 3–7 October
Other Important Dates
WHA & Governance
WHA Office Re-opens: 12 January
Special General Meeting: 16 February
Annual General Meeting: 30 March
WHA Awards Evening: 20 October
Download the Full 2026 Key Dates
For a full breakdown of competitions, tournaments, and key deadlines, download the complete 2026 Key Season Dates document below.
We look forward to another exciting year of hockey in 2026 and can’t wait to share more details as the season approaches.
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17 December 2025
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