Four qualifiers, one championship tournament
The field took shape last weekend for the 2026 National Bank Field Hockey Canada U SPORTS Championship, presented by Farm Mutual Re. Host Waterloo, OUA champion Toronto, Canada West champion UBC, and Atlantic representative UPEI have all secured their places at the national championship, set to take place in Waterloo, Ontario from November 4-8.
Waterloo Warriors (Host)
As tournament hosts, the Waterloo Warriors automatically qualified for nationals and will look to capitalize on home-field advantage. The Warriors enjoyed a strong OUA season, finishing fourth in the conference standings with a 6-3-3 record and advancing to the OUA Final Four. Waterloo is back in the championship tournament, most recently playing at York in 2024. Waterloo will bring a balanced and experienced lineup into the national championship on home turf.
Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA Champion)
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues secured their place at nationals by capturing the 2026 OUA championship, defeating York 2-1 in a dramatic shootout in the conference final. The title marked the program’s 35th OUA championship and first since 2023, further adding to one of the most successful legacies in Canadian university hockey. Goalkeeper Mary Yang earned Player of the Match honours after a standout performance in regulation and the shootout.
UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West Champion)
The UBC Thunderbirds enter the tournament as Canada West champions after defeating the UVic Vikes last weekend to secure the program’s first conference title since 2017. After narrowly missing out in recent seasons, the Thunderbirds put together an unbeaten campaign and sealed the championship with goals from first-years Puneet Litt and Maia Lawrence. Backed by a disciplined defensive unit and strong goalkeeping, UBC recorded its third consecutive shutout in the title-clinching victory and will arrive in Waterloo carrying momentum.
UPEI Panthers (Atlantic Representative)
The UPEI Panthers will make their third consecutive appearance at the U SPORTS Final Four after advancing from the Atlantic region. UPEI enjoyed another strong AUFHL campaign, going undefeated throughout the regular season and earning a place in the league championship game. The Panthers narrowly fell to Dalhousie in a shootout in the AUFHL final, but later secured qualification to the national championship after Dalhousie self-declared that they had used an ineligible player. As a result, UPEI was awarded advancement through a forfeit and now returns to the national stage for a third straight year. Read the USPORTS announcement here.
EVENT INFORMATION
Field Hockey Canada is thrilled to collaborate with the University of Waterloo and U SPORTS to host the 2026 National Bank Field Hockey Canada U SPORTS Championship, presented by Farm Mutual Re, at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, ON. The tournament will take place November 5-8, 2026. This marks the third consecutive year of the new, extended format, which debuted in 2024 in Ontario at York University. Read full hosting announcement.
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EVENT DETAILS
Event: 2026 National Bank Field Hockey Canada U SPORTS Championship, presented by Farm Mutual Re
Dates: November 5-8, 2026
Venue: University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Warrior Field
