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6 October 2026  4 min read

Academy Leagues Preview (7 Oct 2026) - Live Stats, streaming, quotes and more

Nottingham Academy Wildcats (WEABL) and Newcastle College (EABL) both picked up early wins to get ahead of the pack, with 12 contests set to go ahead across the two leagues.

Defending EABL champs Myerscough don't get underway until next Wednesday (14/10) as there are no EABL North games for this round, but WEABL winners City of London Academy - Southwark are set to get up and running as they travel to Itchen.

Wednesday 7 October

WEABL North

12:15pm - UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park vs Myerscough College - LIVE STATS

4:15pm - Manchester Mystics vs The Sheffield College - LIVE STATS

WEABL Central

3:45pm - SGS College vs Copleston Basketball Academy - LIVE STATS

4:30pm - Milton Keynes 5 Dimensions - The Hazeley Academy vs BMET City of Birmingham Rockets - LIVE STATS

WEABL South

1:30pm - Itchen College vs City of London Academy - Southwark - LIVE STATS

3:45pm - The Canterbury Academy vs Barking Abbey - LIVE STATS

4pm - New City College vs Oaklands Wolves - LIVE STATS

EABL Central

2pm - HHS Reading Rockets vs SGS College - LIVE STATS

4:30pm - Derby Trailblazers vs BMET City of Birmingham Rockets - LIVE STATS

EABL South

2pm - New City College vs Oaklands Wolves - LIVE STATS

2:15pm - The Canterbury vs Barking Abbey - LIVE STATS

3:30pm - Itchen College vs City of London Academy - Southwark - LIVE STATS

View all the week's fixtures

View the Standings

 

 

 

 

 

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WEABL

Starting in the South, defending champs CoLA start their season away to an Itchen programme that missed the playoffs a year ago and will be aiming for a return to the post-season for the first time since 2023/24.

The bulk of CoLA's starters from their title win a year ago have now departed, including reigning WEABL South MVP Ayla Habbal, so it'll be interesting to see how Coach Gibbons' side lines up in 2026/27.

The Canterbury Academy are making their WEABL debut with a tricky visit from former winners Barking Abbey, and another new entry, New City College, are set to welcome Holly Welch and the Oaklands Wolves.

Copleston's relocation to the Central Conference begins with an opening trip to SGS College, who are hoping to begin their maiden WEABL campaign after more than one curtailed attempt in recent seasons.

MK5D can provide a first-hand look at the future for BMET in the Central's other game.

Birmingham went winless in their debut campaign in 2025/26, that fate was one that also befell MK5D in their first WEABL season.

The Milton Keynes programme made the playoffs in their second year though, providing the Rockets with hope they could achieve something similar themselves in 2026/27.

A pair of contests make up the North's slate, with UTC Sheffield starting their journey with a challenging test against the 1-0 Nottingham Academy Wildcats, whilst there's a cross-Pennines Roses clash between Manchester Mystics and The Sheffield College.

EABL

Five games make up the EABL schedule, starting with a trio of games in the ever-competitive South Conference.

The Canterbury Academy make their first EABL bow since 2023/24 as they return to action with a home tie against 2024/25 champs Barking Abbey.

Itchen and CoLA could provide one of the game's of the day as two teams who made the Final Fours a year ago go head-to-head on the South coast, and New City College get their first taste of EABL action against Oaklands Wolves.

The other two contests take place in the Central, starting with two teams looking to get back to the post-season. HHS Reading Rockets last made it in 2024/25, and SGS haven't been since 2014/15.

Both will want to start their season on a high but only one will be victorious here.

Derby Trailblazers and BMET City of Birmingham Rockets contest the other game, with the Rockets' needing to navigate life after Larry Duru, their standout from a year ago as he's now stateside.

 

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