Read everything you need to know ahead of Varsity 2026.
Varsity is upon us once again! Easter Break not only means a break from classes, and a rest before exam seasons, but also that Varsity 2026 is just around the corner. That means a full day of sports from the much-anticipated rugby, football and netball showdowns to the arguably biggest event of the day - the Mascot Race. With all the cheering and animated support fuelled by those trademark SU double pints.
This Varsity come with extra excitement. Not only is it back at the STV, our home ground, but for the first time in almost a decade, Bath need to reclaim the Varsity trophy. In 2025 Cardiff caused a massive upset by clinching the win. This year, the now defending champions come to us, and we at Bath must ensure the Varsity Crown returns to its rightful place.
You must be asking yourself, what are the highlights? What should I look out for at the event? I’m here to give you the best preview for Varsity to ensure you can make the day as fun-packed as possible and to ensure you have some excellent viewing.
The Varsity 2026 Schedule
The day will be kicking off at 11am with the Men’s Badminton. Last year, Bath delivered a hammering to Cardiff, so hopefully we see much the same. Having recently competed at the BUCS Championship Semi-Finals, they will be hoping to see off the Cardiff Met competition in style.
The events for the Men’s and Women’s Athletics kick off soon after at 11:30, which last year provided a tight contest. At the BUCS Indoor event, some athletes really shone. For the Men’s, look out for Isaac Skinner Kakitie on the 60m, Tobias Cheesebrough in the 800m and Luke Ball in the High Jump. For the Women’s, Ariyania McGee is the current BUCS champion at the 60m hurdles and Evelyne Fonteyene recently took Bronze in the High Jump.
Also kicking off at 11:30am is the Men’s Futsal. With last year going to penalties after a dramatic 7:7 draw, this could be a high-stakes and high-scoring event once again. Further football follows at 13:45 and 16:30 with the Bath’s Women’s and Men’s Football teams set to offer an excellent viewing. While our Women’s team may be fresh off a defeat to Exeter, we have a great history in the Varsity against Cardiff Met’s Women’s team. In contrast, the Men’s team thrashed Bath Spa 12-0 in their last match and will be hoping for a similar victory at Varsity.
The Men’s Hockey at 12:30 is also one you do not want to miss, with this game being consistently close in scoreline over the years. Both the Men’s and Women’s Hockey Teams reached their respective BUCS finals, and while the Men’s didn’t lift the title they are nevertheless worth the watch. The current Women’s BUCS Hockey champions will be kicking off what will no doubt be an excellent match at 15:30.
At 1pm, we will see three further big events kick off. The back-to-back National BUSL Champions will be on show in the swimming pool, looking to show off why they won that trophy and work towards another Varsity crown. Alternatively, you can see another group of BUCS Champs compete at the Women’s Basketball or the highly anticipated Mascot Race. Hopefully this time we can see Duck Norris beat Archie the Archer to the finish line!
Women’s Volleyball kicks off at 13:45 and the Women’s Lacrosse starts just 15 minutes later. We have a good history at Varsity for Women’s Volleybell and Lacrosse, so hopefully both teams can continue their rich vein of form.
However, team sports are not everyone’s thing. If you want to see Bath’s very own and better version of Wimbledon (completely unbiased opinion), the Tenniss kick off at 2:30pm, which Bath have an amazing record in, winning all 9 matches last year.
The Men’s Basketball at 3pm has consistently provided a high-scoring and often tight scoreline, so any viewers will no doubt be in for high excitement. The Men’s Water Polo begins just half-an-hour later and the Women’s at 17:30. Both teams have been excellent in the last year, winning every game played in 2025. Previous years have seen tight contests at Varsity, with this year’s set to offer the same excitement.
The Women’s Rugby have recovered well after a 53-nil defeat at the Varsity in 2022, winning 3 on the bounce, so hopefully the trend can continue. The Men’s Volleyball is often a fan-favourite event, with Bath winning three years on the bounce since 2022. Our Wheelchair Basketball has also often seen Bath beaten at Varsity, so will need all the support we have. But with the contest getting closer each year, maybe 2026 is Bath’s year for Wheelchair Basketball.
Towards the end of the day, the showpiece event, Men’s Rugby, will kick off at 6:30pm. Having beaten Cardiff Met twice in the league, the BUCS Champions will be looking to finish off a successful campaign with a drumming against our Varsity rivals to hopefully secure Team Bath victory at one of the final events. However, it could always go down to the death, with the final event of Women’s Netball often being a Varsity decider. Having tasted success in all teams this year, they will be wanting a good end to their campaign, and hopefully either a consolidating win or a victory lap for Bath.
Advice from a Varsity Veteran
As a Varsity veteran, my recommendation for the day would be to begin with the Badminton, before moving to either the Futsal or the Athletics, with these contests often being really well competed.
The Mascot race is also always fun, and the Women’s Football, Volleyball and Lacrosse all have some top athletes and you should be able to visit all three and still have time to get some food from the fan zone.
The Men’s Basketball will be another top event, and will see high scores and high excitement throughout. And of course, don’t miss the rugby, I’m sure Bath will prove we are the kings of Rugby once again.
All in all, however, there won’t be a bad event to see. No matter which way you choose to spend Varsity, you will see an excellent range of sport events.
Every athlete out there is incredible and deserves the highest praise for representing our University. Let’s provide the noise and ensure we can take back the trophy.
So, get to Varsity, grab yourself a drink (or two). Enjoy the atmosphere and ensure you make Varsity 2026 one to remember!