Eight New Sport Formats Are Here!

Posted 24th February 2026

The wait is over! Eight more sports within the School Games have launched their brand-new formats!

These formats have been carefully developed in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust and each sport’s National Governing Body to ensure that every young person can enjoy high-quality, fun, and accessible competition.

Whether you are planning intra-school or inter-school events, these formats are designed to make delivery easier for School Games activities while providing a consistent, engaging experience for participants.

What’s New in Wave 4?

Wave 4 introduces updated formats for eight sports, each tailored to the School Games environment:

From today, these formats are available to view on each sport’s page and are ready to be selected within the Events Calendar. This means your summer term competitions can now be planned with the latest, nationally recognised formats, giving every young person the best possible experience.

Wave 4 builds on the success of the previous three waves of redesigned formats, strengthening inclusion, accessibility, and consistency across the School Games programme. The updated formats are designed to:

  • Support young people of all abilities, including SEND participants
  • Align delivery with the guidance from each sport’s National Governing Body
  • Provide clear progression between intra-school and inter-school competitions
  • Make event planning easier for organisers while helping track and showcase impact across the network

Using the updated formats ensures that your events are aligned with national standards, making it easier to deliver competitions that are fair, fun, and inclusive for every participant.

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