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USA Field Hockey Announces Updated Format for 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games

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IOWA CITY, Iowa - USA Field Hockey is excited to announce details for the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games, taking place August 2 to 6, 2026 in Iowa City, Iowa. The field hockey competition will be hosted at the University of Iowa at Grant Field as part of this premier national youth sports festival.  

The girls’ competition will run August 2 to 4 and feature two pools of six teams - one U-16 division and one U-18 division - representing an exciting evolution as USA Field Hockey expands the Junior Olympic Games pathway to include U-18 athletes.  

This opportunity was created to allow more top-level athletes to compete against their peers, elevating the standard of play and providing meaningful competition within the pathway. 

As a reminder, Junior Olympic Games qualification is now earned exclusively through advancement from Nexus Regional Selection Camps and Nexus participation. Following the completion of all five Nexus Regional Selection Camps, USA Field Hockey will announce selections to both the Junior Nexus Championship and the AAU Junior Olympic Games simultaneously; athletes may only be selected to one event. Registration for invited athletes is anticipated to open in mid-June. 

“Junior Olympic Games is an incredible experience - it goes far beyond being just another tournament," mentioned a previous Junior Olympic Games coach. "It’s an opportunity to compete at an elite level, be coached by top-tier coaches, and cheer on friends and fellow athletes. It creates a space where players can push themselves, try new things, and grow - all without the added pressure that sometimes comes with traditional competition.”

Additional event details surrounding the boys Junior Olympic Games, including team pools, match schedules, and registration information, will be released in the coming weeks. 

If you have any questions about the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games, please contact Taylor Carden, USA Field Hockey's Assistant Director for Nexus, at tcarden@usafiedhockey.com, or Jesse Larson, USA Field Hockey's Boys Engagement Manager, at larson@usafieldhockey.com. 

For more information about the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games and to stay updated on the event, visit the event page.