BOSTON – The University of Maine men's ice hockey team will compete in the 2028 Friendship Four ice hockey tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as announced by The Odyssey Trust on Tuesday afternoon at the Massachusetts State House. Maine, who skated in the 2017 Friendship Four, joins Notre Dame, Nebraska Omaha and Dartmouth in the 2028 edition of the tournament, which will be held at SSE Arena, home of the Belfast Giants.
 
Founded by The Odyssey Trust and held annually at The SSE Arena, Belfast, the Friendship Four is the first and only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ice hockey tournament to take place outside of North America. Since its inception in 2015, the tournament has become a flagship event in Northern Ireland's sporting calendar, bringing world-class collegiate hockey to Belfast while promoting education, cultural exchange, and community engagement.
 
The high-profile tournament is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the Sister Cities agreement between Belfast and Boston, signed a decade ago. The agreement aims to foster stronger economic development, trade and investment, tourism, youth, cultural exchanges, and educational linkages between the two cities, as well as to increase awareness of Belfast and Boston being growth cities in the connected health and life sciences, creative industries, tourism, financial services, and knowledge economy sectors. 
 
The annual tournament features two semifinal games followed by a championship game and a consolation game the next day, with the two semifinal winners battle for the Belpot Trophy. In 2017, Maine fell to Providence in the semifinal before rebounding to defeat RPI in the third-place game. Clarkson defeated Providence in the championship game to earn the Belpot Trophy.
 
The 2026 edition of the Friendship Four will welcome the University of Connecticut, Providence College, the University of Minnesota Duluth and Colgate University. In 2027, Northeastern University, Quinnipiac University, the University of North Dakota and the University of Wisconsin will take to the ice in pursuit of the Belpot Trophy. 

Tickets and more information for the 2028 Friendship Four will be announced at a later date.
 
Steve Thornton, Sports Director at The Odyssey Trust, said: "Reaching the 10-year anniversary of the Friendship Four is a remarkable achievement and a celebration of everything the tournament has come to represent. Over the past decade, Belfast has welcomed some of the top NCAA teams and inspired new generations of fans. As we look to the future, we are thrilled to confirm three outstanding lineups for 2026, 2027, and 2028, which promise to deliver more unforgettable hockey memories at The SSE Arena."
 
Martin McDowell, Chair of The Odyssey Trust, commented: "The Friendship Four began as an ambitious idea and has grown into an event that embodies the values of friendship, learning, and international collaboration. We are incredibly proud of the impact it has made in Belfast and beyond over the past decade, from building relationships with U.S. institutions to providing local communities with access to top-level sport. Announcing the 2026, 2027, and 2028 teams as we celebrate 10 years this year is the perfect way to look ahead with excitement and confidence."