The 2026 NIHL Play Offs Explained

The regular season schedules for the 4 regional divisions in NIHL North and South were completed at the weekend and attention now shifts to the end of the season play offs. 

The top 8 finishing teams in each NIHL regional division qualify for the quarter finals and the pairings for the ties are decided by final league positions, with the higher finishing teams getting the easier draws.

The team that finishes in 1^st place in the table plays the team that finishes 8^th, 2^nd plays 7^th, 3^rd plays 6^th and 4^th plays 5^th.

The teams will meet in a home and away two-legged tie over the weekend of 28^th & 29^th March and the winners will meet in two-legged semi finals the weekend after on 4^th and 5^th April.

The winners of the semi final ties in all 4 divisions – North 1 & 2 and South 1 & 2 - will meet in one-off finals at the Steel City Showdown weekend, which takes place at iceSheffield over the weekend of 11^th & 12^th April.

The weekend programme is as follows:

Saturday 11^th April

• 10.15:  Laidler (N2) Play Off Final
• 13.15:  Wilkinson (S2) Play Off Final
• 16.15:  Moralee (N1) Play Off Final
• 19.15:  Britton (S1) Play Off Final

Sunday 12^th April

• 13.00:  National Champions Div 2 Final
• 16.30:  National Champions Div 1 Final

Advance tickets for the play off weekend can be purchased via the England Ice Hockey website HERE