Ford National Hockey Championship descends on the Capital this September
The Ford National Hockey Championship (NHC) will return this September and this year, will come to Wellington, bringing together the country's top domestic players, emerging talent and hockey regions for a week of action.
Hosted by Wellington Hockey Association from Sunday 13 September to Saturday 19 September, the tournament is one of the biggest events on Hockey New Zealand's domestic calendar and provides a showcase of representative hockey from every corner of Aotearoa.
With matches played across seven days, the Ford National Hockey Championship offer a unique opportunity to see the best open age-group men and women, including current and former Black Sticks compete for regional bragging rights.
The tournament also represents the final major opportunity for players to impress selectors ahead of the Premier Hockey League, Aotearoa's elite domestic competition. Sitting above the Ford National Hockey Championship in the performance pathway, the Premier Hockey League features four rival franchises and brings together the top 72 men's and top 72 women's players from across New Zealand. Strong performances at NHC can help players earn selection opportunities into this while taking the next step towards selection for the Vantage Black Sticks, New Zealand’s National Men’s & Women’s teams.
Last year's tournament produced no shortage of storylines. Auckland continued their remarkable run in the women's Tier 1 competition, securing a third consecutive title. In the men's Tier 1 division, Canterbury claimed back-to-back championships with a stacked squad featuring five current Black Sticks, including top goal scorer Sam Lane, alongside former internationals Brad Shaw, Nick Haig and legendary goalkeeper George Enersen alongside a number of New Zealand age-group reps, between them hundreds of international caps worth of experience.
George Enersen reflects on his many years playing regional level hockey outside of his former Black Sticks duties, “For me, its always an honour to represent a region (Canterbury) that means a lot to me, and I always feel a sense of pride to be able to represent red and black colours - something I am grateful to have done since Hatch Cup. Its awesome to be able to continue to represent Canterbury Cavaliers - also being able to retain experience within the group from some of us older players is really important for continuity and growth of the game.”
With more than 47 teams competing across three tiers in 2025, the Ford National Hockey Championship is about far more than just the Tier 1 titles. Every division has its own battles, and promotion opportunities, creating plenty of competition right across the week.
The 2026 tournament is expected to feature regional teams across three competition tiers again.
Lisa Williamson, Hockey New Zealand's National Tournaments & Events Coordinator, says the championship remains one of the highlights of the domestic hockey calendar.
“NHC is an exciting way for our senior players to round off their hockey season. Players get the chance to represent their region, compete against some of the best talent in the country, including current and former Black Sticks, and enjoy the unique atmosphere that comes with the tournament. It's always great to see the mix of close competition on the field and the friendships and connections that develop off it as teams come together for the week."
Supporters unable to attend can still follow all matches from this year’s tournament with all matches livestreamed on HockeyTV and results available throughout the week via Altius.