The 2026 National Premier League season will kick off with a highly anticipated match between York Acorn and Heworth on March 7, 2026. This first cross-city derby will take place at Thanet Road, setting the stage for a fierce rivalry. The teams are scheduled to meet again on July 4, 2026, at Elmpark Way, promising more excitement for fans.
This season marks a significant restructuring of the community game, effective from March 2026. The new format introduces a pyramid system featuring automatic promotion and relegation, aimed at alleviating travel and financial burdens on clubs. Notably, the revised schedule places an increased emphasis on derby matches, allowing Acorn and Heworth to reignite their rivalry for the first time since July 2024.
In that previous season, each team secured one victory over the other, with Heworth triumphing 20-16 at Thanet Road, while Acorn achieved an 8-0 win at Elmpark Way. In the standings, Acorn finished ninth in the National Conference League Premier Division, while Heworth earned promotion after finishing second in Division One.
Upcoming Fixtures for York Acorn
Acorn’s schedule for the 2026 season includes a series of challenging matches. Here are their key fixtures:
– March 7 – Heworth (H)
– March 14 – Hunslet ARLFC (A)
– March 21 – Waterhead (H)
– March 28 – Wath Brow (A)
– April 11 – Siddal (H)
– April 18 – Thatto Heath (H)
– April 25 – Wigan St Jude’s (A)
– May 9 – West Bowling (A)
– May 16 – West Hull (H)
– June 6 – Rochdale Mayfield (A)
– June 20 – Hunslet ARLFC (H)
– June 27 – Wath Brow (H)
– July 4 – Heworth (A)
– July 11 – Wigan St Jude’s (H)
– July 25 – Thatto Heath (A)
– August 8 – Lock Lane (H)
– August 22 – Siddal (A)
– September 5 – West Bowling (H)
– September 12 – West Hull (A)
– September 19 – Rochdale Mayfield (H)
– September 26 – Waterhead (A)
Upcoming Fixtures for Heworth
Heworth will also face a demanding set of matches in the upcoming season, with their fixture list as follows:
– March 7 – York Acorn (A)
– March 14 – Lock Lane (H)
– March 21 – Wigan St Jude’s (A)
– March 28 – Rochdale Mayfield (H)
– April 11 – Thatto Heath (A)
– April 18 – West Bowling (H)
– April 25 – Wath Brow (A)
– May 9 – Waterhead (A)
– May 16 – Hunslet ARLFC (H)
– June 6 – Siddal (A)
– June 13 – West Hull (H)
– June 20 – Wigan St Jude’s (H)
– June 27 – Lock Lane (A)
– July 4 – York Acorn (H)
– July 11 – Rochdale Mayfield (A)
– July 25 – Wath Brow (H)
– August 8 – Thatto Heath (H)
– August 22 – West Hull (A)
– September 5 – Siddal (H)
– September 12 – Hunslet ARLFC (A)
– September 19 – Waterhead (H)
– September 26 – West Bowling (A)
As anticipation builds for the season opener, both teams are eager to prove their mettle in the new competition structure. Fans will be watching closely as York Acorn and Heworth aim to establish their dominance in the National Premier League.
