Bands from across Australia and New Zealand will compete over two days at the 2026 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships. Kōhanga Moa Inglewood will host fifty-six pipe bands on Friday 20th and Saturday, 21st March 2026, making it the largest pipe band competition event outside of Europe.
Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands’ Association President Liam Kernaghan said: “We are delighted with the entries to the ‘Nationals’, in particular the depth and breadth it shows of the teaching and development programmes across New Zealand.” Liam added: “Given the geographic challenges for bands to navigate to get to Inglewood, the fact numbers are as strong as ever is an indication of the heart of the pipe band movement in New Zealand.”
“With strong entries across all six grades, including 15 in the Grade 4B competition, we are absolutely delighted to be putting on such a top-quality event. With bands from Australia and Canada coming to compete, it will truly be an international event – showcasing, as always, the quintessential trans-Tasman rivalry.
“I’m proud that the pipe band community ‘Down Under’ is continuing to go from strength to strength despite the economic challenges we are all collectively facing.
“We are particularly proud of the fact our youth scene is growing and diversifying right across the country. Having twelve juvenile bands compete at the ‘Nationals’ is hugely encouraging for our movement here in New Zealand.”
Robert Mathieson and Keith Orr head a top-tier adjudication panel. Brian Switalla, Martin Frewen, Davey Welsh and Greg Wilson will adjudicate piping, Chris Stevens joins Robert Mathieson to complete the ensemble panel and Ross Levy joins Keith Orr in rounding off the drumming panel.
Twelve bands are entered in the Juvenile grade, making it the biggest juvenile contest in the world.
Grade 1
- Auckland and District Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
Grade 2
- Celtic Pipe Band (Nelson)
- City of Tauranga Pipe Band
- St Andrew’s Pipe Band (Brisbane)
- St Andrews College Pipe Band
- Emmanuel College Highlanders at the University of Queensland Pipe Band
- New Zealand Police Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Pipe Band
Grade 3
- Auckland and District Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Hamilton Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Hawkes Bay Caledonian Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
- Metro Scottish Pipe Band
- Scottish Society of New Zealand Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band
Grade 4A
- Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Scots College Pipe Band
- City of Rotorua Highland Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
- Canberra Burns Club Pipe Band
- Papakura Pipe Band
- City of Wellington Pipe Band
- Edmonton & District Pipe Band (Canada)
Grade 4B
- NSW Police Pipe Band (Australia)
- Wairarapa Fern And Thistle Pipe Band
- Feilding Caledonian Pipe Band
- Celtic Pipe Band (Nelson)
- Vale of Kawerau Pipe Band
- South Canterbury Highland Pipe Band
- Stratford & District Pipe Band
- Scottish Society Highland Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
- Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band
- Marlborough Pipe Band
- City of Sails Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Pipe Band
- NSW Highlanders (Australia)
- Napier Boys’ High School Pipe Band
Juvenile
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band A
- St Andrew’s College Pipe Band B
- Papakura Pipe Band
- Manawatu Scottish Youth Pipe Band
- Wellington Red Hackle Team Goose Pipe Band
- Lewis Turrell Memorial Trust Juvenile Pipe Band
- Scots College Pipe Band
- St Andrew’s College A Pipe Band
- Napier Boys’ High School Pipe Band
- Canterbury Caledonian Society Juvenile Pipe Band
- South Canterbury and Celtic (Combined) Pipe Band
- ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band B
The current New Zealand Pipe Band champions are:
- Grade 1 – Manawatu Scottish Pipe Band
- Grade 2 – St Andrew’s College Pipe Band
- Grade 3 – Hamilton Caledonian Society Pipe Band
- Grade 4A – Metro Scottish Pipe Band
- Grade 4B – ILT City of Invercargill Highland Pipe Band
- Juvenile – St Andrew’s College A Pipe Band