Cumbria’s three Northern League teams might be getting extra visitors over Easter 2026 because of an initiative with the country’s Groundhoppers.
The Ebac Northern League and GroundhopUK have announced Hopping’s Coming Home! with a return to the Northern League for an Easter Groundhop in 2026.
Groundhopping events began in the Northern League in the early 1990s, the brainchild of then chairman, Mike Amos, so it is fitting that Easter 2026 sees a return of the event to its birthplace.
Although no match details have been decided at this early stage, it is envisaged that the event will feature around a dozen games over the weekend.
The area already attracts much interest from groundhoppers, particularly those from the south of the UK. This will be a long-awaited visit to the North East, and both parties are excited about staging what promises to be a fantastic event.
Northern League chairman Glenn Youngman said: “As chairman of the Ebac Northern League, I am pleased to announce that the League has decided to hold a groundhop over the 2026 Easter period with games being played from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday.
“I would like to thank Harvey Harris who first brought the idea to myself, and big thanks go to Chris and his team at GroundhopUK who will be co-ordinating the weekend, having extensive knowledge of staging these hops over the last 22 years.
“As a league we will be working closely with Chris to make sure everything runs smoothly, and all we ask of clubs is to follow the agreed plan that Chris will give to all host clubs so that they can maximise the potential of bigger crowds and take the opportunity to make it a financially worthwhile day for the club.”
Chris Berezai, of GroundhopUK, said: “This news will be welcomed by groundhoppers everywhere. So many have asked when we were going back to the Northern League, as they loved the football, the grounds and the whole atmosphere in the North East.
“We are thrilled and honoured that we have been asked to deliver the event in association with the League, and we are looking forward to working together very closely to make sure it’s a fantastic event.”
More details about the Hop will be released in due course, with Carlisle City, Penrith and Kendal possible hosts of visits.
