The Lancashire County Pool Association (LCPA) is proud to confirm the structure for the 2026 Interleague season, following an unprecedented number of team entries across both the Open Interleague and the Ladies Interleague sections.
With numerous new teams joining the competition this year, the LCPA Executive Committee and the Interleague Secretary have worked carefully to create divisions and fixtures that keep the league competitive, fair, and enjoyable for every team involved.
Note: Fixtures and divisions have been built using last season’s promotion and relegation outcomes, combined with the best information available on team standards and competitive balance.
Why the LCPA Interleague Divisions Have Been Restructured
This season has seen record interest in Lancashire Interleague pool, especially in the Open section where several new teams have entered. With that growth comes a responsibility to ensure each division remains balanced and that teams are placed at a level where they can be competitive.
To shape the divisions for 2026, the Executive Committee and Interleague Secretary have used:
- Promotion and relegation from the 2025 season
- Known information on team and player performance
- Experience of competitive standards across divisions
- A practical approach to placing new teams as fairly as possible
Where new teams are concerned, placements have been made in divisions where they are expected to be most competitive from the outset.
A Competitive Structure Designed to Correct Itself
No restructure is ever perfect — particularly with a high volume of new entries — but the approach taken this season is designed to settle quickly and remain competitive.
The guiding principle is simple:
- If a team is placed one division too high or too low, promotion and relegation should correct that within one season.
- What we wanted to avoid was placing teams three or four divisions away from their true level, which can take multiple seasons to correct and can leave divisions unbalanced in the meantime.
We don’t claim every placement is exact, but significant time has been spent to deliver the most competitive and fair structure possible for all teams.
Lancashire Leads the Way: Ladies Interleague Expands to Two Divisions
One of the standout developments for 2026 is the growth of the LCPA Ladies Interleague, which is moving to two divisions — a huge milestone for the county.
This is an incredible achievement when you consider that no other county in the country currently runs a Ladies Interleague at this scale.
Introducing two divisions with promotion and relegation will help ensure:
- Competitive matches throughout the season
- League positions that stay “live” right to the final fixtures
- Clear development and progression routes for teams
- More enjoyable competition for everyone involved
Thank You to Captains, Players and Volunteers
The LCPA would like to thank every captain, organiser, volunteer, and player who gives their time to build teams and keep Interleague pool thriving across Lancashire.
Your commitment is a major reason why Lancashire continues to deliver what is widely recognised as the largest Interleague set-up in the country.
A special thanks is also extended to Martin West, whose dedication and work over the years has helped build and strengthen the Lancashire Interleague into what it is today.
Fixtures, Updates and Useful Links
For the latest fixtures, results and league updates, please visit:
- LCPA Interleague updates: Interleague
- Fixtures & results: https://lcpainter.leaguerepublic.com/index.html
- Contact / committee information: interleague@lancashirepool.com
Looking Ahead to the 2026 LCPA Interleague Season
With new teams, expanded divisions and more competition than ever, the 2026 Lancashire Interleague season promises to be one of the biggest and most exciting yet.
Good luck to all teams for 2026 — and thank you again for your continued support of LCPA Interleague pool.
Regards,
Geoff Hadgett
LCPA Chairman
On behalf of the Executive Committee