Belfast’s ‘Friendship Four’ Collegiate Hockey Supporters Gather in Boston to Mark 10-Year Anniversary + Announce 2026-28 Lineup

Government officials, collegiate hockey representatives and tourism officials gathered at the Massachusetts State House in Boston today to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Friendship Four ice hockey tournaments in Belfast, Northern Ireland and to announce upcoming schedules for 2026, 2027 and 2028.

Launched in 2015, the Friendship Four is the first and only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One men’s ice hockey tournament to take place outside North America. The high-profile four-game tournament is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the sister cities agreement between Belfast and Boston.

Cara Group Travel of Quincy, Massachusetts is the official travel partner of the Friendship Four.

This year’s Friendship Four tournament takes place at the SSE Arena in Belfast on November 28-29, 2025, featuring four NCAA teams: Sacred Heart University, Union College, Rochester Institute of Technology and Miami University.

In January, 2026, The 4th Women’s Friendship Series tournament takes place in Belfast and includes teams from Boston University, Harvard University, Quinnipiac University and University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Steve Thornton, sports director at The Odyssey Trust, announced the competing teams for the 2026, 2027, and 2028 Friendship Four ice hockey tournaments.

The 2026 Friendship Four line-up includes University of Connecticut, Providence College, University of Minnesota Duluth, and Colgate University. In 2027, teams include Northeastern University, Quinnipiac University, University of North Dakota, and University of Wisconsin. And in 2028, the four teams are University of Notre Dame, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Dartmouth College and University of Maine.

In May, 2014, Belfast and Boston officially became entwined as Sister Cities, with officials from both cities promising to work together to create new collaborations in business, tourism, and cultural exchange.

Read more travel stories about visiting Ireland throughout the year.