Simon Fraser University: 2026 World Champions; Ulster Scottish win Grade 2; Grade 1 drumming champions: SLOT

Glasgow – August 15, 2026 – Simon Fraser University of Vancouver won the 2026 World Championship after the second two-event day at Glasgow Green, in overcast, breezy, cool conditions, with a high of about 18°C and no rain, and large crowds in the stands and across the park. St. Laurence O’Toole of Dublin won the drumming.

SFU won three out of the four events, and with an astonishing seventh in the Friday MSR. It is highly unusual for a band so far back in one event to win the overall prize.

It was the first Worlds win for the band in 17 years, and the first with Pipe-Major Alan Bevan. It was SFU’s seventh Worlds win in the band’s 46-year history. The band was on first in both Saturday events, traditionally considered the most undesirable spot to play.

The Grade 1 competition was perhaps the best in the event’s history, with as many as six bands having a realistic chance of the big prize, depending on the judges’ musical preferences.

Ulster Scots, from Philadelphia, won Grade 2 in a 12-band final following heats on the Friday. Ulster Scottish also won the drumming. Like Grade 1, the penultimate grade was a close race, several bands easily worthy of the overall prize. The win for Ulster Scots virtually guarantees the band’s promotion to Grade 1 by the RSPBA and their home EUSPBA.

Grade 2 second prizewinners and RSPBA Champion of Champions in both the grade and the drumming, Royal Burgh of Annan, are also almost assured of being promoted.

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The greatest ovations of the day were for medley performances by Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia, Field Marshal Montgomery, and Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia after the band turned their circle to face the audience in the final part of the selection, harking back to when the band, then under Pipe-Major Robert Mathieson, turned the music to face the people in a celebrated move at the 2008 Worlds.

Another loud ovation was for Australia’s Hawthorn, competing at their first Worlds, with one of the day’s most inventive and exciting medleys, complete with some cool and cheeky choreography by the snare line under Leading-Drummer Steven Shedden.

The RSPBA finally nixed the usual interminably long traditional march past with a “March Forward” massed bands, mercifully shaving about 90 minutes off the proceedings. The last results were announced at about 6:45 pm.

According to Glasgow Life, the organization that puts on the Worlds on behalf of the RSPBA, the two-day event featuring 211 bands attracted more than 50,000 people. First prize for the 2025 World Champions was £2000 (US$2,694).

Grade 1
Overall
1st Simon Fraser University
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
3rd Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
4th Inveraray & District (Scotland)
5th St. Laurence O’Toole
6th Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
7th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
8th ScottishPower (Scotland)
9th St. Thomas Alumni (USA)
10th 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada) (ens. pref.)
11th Hawthorn (Australia)
12th Ravara (Northern Ireland)
13th Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland)
Drumming: St. Laurence O’Toole

Saturday Medley
1st Simon Fraser University (1,1,3,3)
2nd Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (2,2,6,2)
3rd Field Marshal Montgomery (5,5,4,1) (ens. pref.)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (3,3,2,7)
5th Inveraray & District (4,6,1,5)
6th Police Scotland Fife (6,4,5,4)
7th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (8,9,7,6)
8th ScottishPower (7,7,9,8)
9th 78th Fraser Highlanders(11,8,12,9)
10th St. Thomas Alumni (9,11,10,12)
11th Ravara (13,12,8,10)
12th Police Scotland & Federation (10,10,13,11)
13th Hawthorn (12,13,11,13)
Judges: Grant Walker, Barry Donaldson (piping); Arthur Cook (drumming); John Moles (ensemble)

Saturday MSR
1st Simon Fraser University (2,2,1,2)
2nd Inveraray & District (1,1,7,3)
3rd Field Marshal Montgomery (3,3,3,4)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (5,4,2,7)
5th Police Scotland Fife (4,5,5,5)
6th Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (7,7,6,1)
7th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (6,6,4,6)
8th ScottishPower (8,8,8,8)
9th St. Thomas Alumni (10,11,10,9)
10th 78th Fraser Highlanders (9,9,12,12)
11th Ravara (11,12,9,11)
12th Hawthorn (13,10,11,10)
13th Police Scotland & Federation (12,13,13,13)
Judges: Robert Shaw, Bill Garrett (piping); Alec Dudgeon (drumming); Allan Craig (ensemble)

Friday Medley
1st Simon Fraser University (2,2,3,1)
2nd Field Marshal Montgomery (1,3,2,4)
3rd Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (3,1,5,3)
4th St. Laurence O’Toole (4,4,4,2)
5th Inveraray & District (6,5,1,6)
6th Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (5,6,7,7)
7th Police Scotland Fife (8,8,6,5)
8th ScottishPower (7,7,8,8)
9th Hawthorn (11,9,9,10)
10th St. Thomas Alumni (10,10,11,9)
11th Ravara (12,11,10,11)
12th Police Scotland & Federation (9,12,13,12)
13th 78th Fraser Highlanders (13,13,12,13)
Judges: David Hilder, Ian Bowden (piping); Brian Martin (drumming); Paul Brown (ensemble)

Friday MSR
1st Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (2,1,3,4)
2nd Inveraray & District (1,2,7,1)
3rd Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (6,3,2,2)
4th Field Marshal Montgomery (5,4,4,3) (ens. pref.)
5th St. Laurence O’Toole (4,6,1,5)
6th Police Scotland Fife (3,5,5,7)
7th Simon Fraser University (7,7,6,6)
8th Scottish Power (8,8,9,9)
9th 78th Fraser Highlanders (10,11,10,8)
10th Hawthorn (9,9,11,11)
11th St. Thomas Alumni (12,10,12,10)
12th Ravara (11,13,8,13)
13th Police Scotland & Federation (13,12,13,12)
Judges: Ronnie McShannon, Alvis Kerr (piping); Jim Baxter (drumming); Peter Snaddon (ensemble)

RSPBA Grade 1 Champion of Champions: Field Marshal Montgomery
RSPBA Grade 1 Drumming Champion of Champions: Field Marshal Montgomery

Grade 2
Overall
1st Ulster Scottish
2nd Royal Burgh of Annan (Scotland)
3rd Pipe Band Club (Australia)
4th Bagad Cap Caval (Brittany
5th Buchan Peterson (Scotland)
6th Uddingston (Scotland)
Drumming: Ulster Scottish

Medley
1st Royal Burgh of Annan (1,5,1,1)
2nd The Pipe Band Club (4,1,3,3)
3rd Buchan Peterson (2,4,5,2)
4th Ulster Scottish (5,3,2,5)
5th Bagad Cap Caval (3,2,7,9)
6th Uddingston (9,9,4,4) (ens. pref.)
7th North Stratton (Canada) (7,6,6,7)
8th TEXO Deeside Caledonia (Scotland) (6,7,10,6)
9th Cascadia (USA) (8,8,8,8)
10th Celtic Nelson (New Zealand) (10,10,9,10)
11th Bucksburn & District (Scotland) (11,12,11,11)
12th Johnstone (Scotland) (12,11,12,12)
Judges: Maurice Rhodes, Terry Lee (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

MSR
1st Ulster Scottish (2,4,1,1)
2nd Bagad Cap Caval (4,1,6,3)
3rd The Pipe Band Club (1,2,8,4)
4th Royal Burgh of Annan (5,5,2,5)
5th Uddingston (6,6,4,2)
6th Celtic Nelson (3,3,9,10)
7th Buchan Peterson (9,10,3,7) (ens. pref.)
8th North Stratton (7,8,5,9)
9th Cascadia (10,7,7,8)
10th TEXO Deeside Caledonia (8,9,10,6)
11th Bucksburn & District (11,11,11,11)
12th Johnstone (12,12,12,12)
Judges: Peter Hunt, Colin Moffett (piping); Ian Lawson (drumming); Ross Walker (ensemble)

RSPBA Grade 2 Champion of Champions: Royal Burgh of Annan
RSPBA Grade 2 Drumming Champion of Champions: Royal Burgh of Annan

Grade 3A
Final
1st Macanta (Northern Ireland) (1,1,2,1)
2nd Matt Boyd Memorial (Northern Ireland) (2,6,3,2)
3rd Major Sinclair Memorial (Northern Ireland) (5,2,4,3)
4th Livingston Caledonia (Scotland) (10,7,1,5) (ens. pref.)
5th Elgin & District (Scotland) (4,3,5,11)
6th Greighlan Crossing (Canada) (3,4,12,8)
7th Burntisland & District (Scotland) (9,5,7,7)
8th Cloughfin (Northern Ireland) (7,8,10,4)
9th Arbroath (Scotland) (8,9,6,9)
10th McNeillstown (Northern Ireland) (6,10,11,6)
11th Dunbar Royal British Legion (Scotland) (12,11,8,10)
12th City of London (England) (11,12,9,12)
Judges: David Middleton, Ian Bowden (piping); Jim Baxter (drumming); Mark Faloon (ensemble)

Grade 3B
Final
1st Drumlough (Northern Ireland) (1,2,2,4)
2nd Govan (Scotland) (2,1,7,1)
3rd Williamwood (Scotland) (4,3,3,2)
4th Black Raven (Ireland) (8,9,1,3)
5th Stockbridge (Scotland) (6,5,6,5)
6th Troon Caledonia (Scotland) (5,7,5,6)
7th Wallacestone & District (Scotland) (3,4,12,9)
8th Kilbarchan (Scotland) (9,6,8,7)
9th Governor Macquarie Memorial (Australia) (7,8,9,8)
10th Stockholm (Sweden) (10,11,4,11)
11th Royal Army of Oman (Oman) (11,12,10,10)
12th Prince Charles (USA) (12,10,11,12)
Judges: Jim Campbell, Don Bradford (piping); David Brown (drumming); Jim Semple (ensemble)

Grade 4A
Final
1st Carrigaline (Ireland) (1,3,1,1)
2nd City of St. Andrews (Scotland) (3,2,3,2)
3rd Cullen (Ireland) (2,1,8,3)
4th Altnaveigh Memorial (Northern Ireland) (8,7,2,4) (ens. pref.)
5th Heidelberg & District (Germany) (5,4,6,6)
6th Moneygore (Northern Ireland) (7,6,7,5)
7th Sri Dasmesh (Malaysia) (4,8,5,9)
8th Gransha (Northern Ireland) (6,5,10,7)
9th Ratae (England) (9,10,4,10)
10th Stuart Highlanders (USA) (11,9,11,8)
11th Cottown (Northern Ireland) (10,11,9,11)
12th Loch Norman (USA) (12,12,12,12)
Judges: Richard Parkes, Gordon Lawrie (piping); Lee Innes (drumming); Tom Brown (ensemble)

Grade 4B
Final
1st Bready Ulster Scots (Northern Ireland) (3,2,1,2)
2nd Lanark & District (Scotland) (1,3,5,1)
3rd Arbroath (Scotland) (2,1,6,3)
4th Royal Air Force of Oman (Oman) (6,6,2,4)
5th Dumfries (Scotland) (4,4,8,6)
6th 1st Troon Boys Brigade (Scotland) (7,7,4,5)
7th Dean Castle (Scotland) (5,5,12,9)
8th Paisley & District RBL (Scotland) (8,8,7,10)
9th City of Brechin (Scotland) (9,10,9,7)
10th Uddingston Strathclyde (Scotland) (11,11,3,11)
11th Irvine & District (Scotland) (10,9,10,8)
12th Sons of Scotland (Canada) (12,12,11,12)
Judges: Maurice Rhodes, Terry Lee (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming); Robert Mathieson (ensemble)

You can find the Juvenile results from Friday, August 14th, in our previous report here.