Worlds 2026 Roll Call: only 13 expected for Grade 1; Grade 2 expands

With less than six months to go before the contest, how do things look for the top grades at the 2026 Worlds?

Assuming that the known operational UK-based and Irish Grade 1 and Grade 2 bands would be attending, we wanted to know about the plans of those located elsewhere.

This year, no Grade 1 bands from New Zealand plan to attend, but Hawthorn from Melbourne, Australia, will be in the mix, provided the RSPBA approves them for the top grade or decides they would have to compete in Grade 2. The band is reportedly awaiting word on whether its Grade 1 status, as assigned by the Victorian Pipe Band Association and Pipe Bands Australia, will be honoured.

We asked the pipe-majors of the functioning non-UK Grade 1 and Grade 2 bands around the world if they planned to attend this year. Here’s what we know:

Grade 1 (alphabetical)

• 78th Fraser Highlanders (Canada)
• Field Marshal Montgomery (Northern Ireland)
• Hawthorn (Australia) *
• Inveraray & District (Scotland)
• Peoples Ford Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia (Scotland)
• Police Scotland & Federation (Scotland)
• Police Scotland Fife (Scotland)
• Ravara (Northern Ireland)
• ScottishPower (Scotland)
• Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia (Scotland)
• Simon Fraser University (Canada)
• St. Laurence O’Toole (Ireland)
• St. Thomas Alumni (USA)

That list features six bands officially based in Scotland, two from Northern Ireland, two from Canada, and one each from Australia, Ireland, and the United States.

The demise of Scotland’s Johnstone and Closkelt of Northern Ireland is partly made up by the welcome return of Police Scotland & Federation to competition form under the new leadership of Pipe-Major Duncan Nicholson and Leading-Drummer Blair Faulds.

No Grade 1 band from New Zealand is a certain blow to the contest. The massive expense and commitment required of Kiwi and Australian bands (shipping drums alone costs $20,000+) make an annual trip well nigh impossible. Most plan to go to Glasgow biannually.

The RSPBA’s decision not to promote any Grade 2 bands to Grade 1 was seen by many as an affirmation that the association is enforcing, or even recalibrating, standards rather than bolstering numbers.

The challenges that Grade 2 bands face in making a successful, long-term leap to the premier grade were discussed by a pipes|drums panel of former pipe-majors who have direct experience making the move, both forwards and backwards. Among other factors, the group cited conditions, such as the decline in non-championship opportunities to compete against today’s “super-bands,” and the most talented young players in Scotland increasingly going directly from Juvenile to many of those elite groups.

Regardless, unless the trend changes or the RSPBA develops a substantially different approach to the top-grade World championship, a further net decline in the number of Grade 1 bands competing at the Worlds is possible or even probable. If the situation continues, only eight or nine Grade 1 bands might be heard at the World Pipe Band Championships in the next decade.

Grade 2

What about Grade 2? Last year, 21 bands filled out the grade at the Worlds. Based on what we know, we can expect 22 Grade 2 bands to compete at this year’s competition. The RSPBA will once again hold Grade 2 events on Saturday. If the 23-band threshold that necessitates a qualifier is met, the format could conceivably be changed per the association’s rules.

We’re seeing at least 12 non-UK bands in the mix this year, again, counting those from Ireland.

Grade 2 (alphabetical)

• Bagad Cap Caval (Brittany)
• Buchan Peterson (Scotland)
• Bucksburn & District (Scotland
• Cascadia (USA)
• Celtic (New Zealand)
• City of Dunedin (USA)
• City of Edinburgh (Scotland)
• Coalburn IOR (Scotland)
• Denny & Dunipace (Scotland)
• Glasgow Skye Association (Scotland)
• Grampian Police Scotland
• Los Angeles Scots (USA)
• Manorcunningham (Ireland)
• MacMillan (USA)
• North Stratton (Canada)
• Oban (Scotland)
• Peel Regional Police (Canada)
• The PipeBand Club, Sydney (Australia)
• Royal Burgh of Annan (Scotland)
• TEXO Deeside Caledonia (Scotland
• Tullylagan (Northern Ireland)
• St. Joseph’s (Ireland)
• Uddingston (Scotland)
• Ulster Scottish (USA)

A full 50% of those in that Grade 2 list are not from Great Britain, possibly the highest percentage in history. Five are from the United States, and only two are from Canada.

If we are made aware of additions or subtractions, we will adjust immediately. Please let us know if you know of any discrepancies.

The 2026 World Pipe Band Championships are scheduled for August 14-15 at Glasgow Green, Glasgow.

A correction was made on Feb. 26, 2026: An earlier version of this article omitted one Grade 2 band, but a helpful reader thankfully notified us, and adjustments were made.