The 2021 Nicky Rackard Cup is due to be the 17th staging of the Nicky Rackard Cup hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 2005.[citation needed]
The championship is scheduled to begin in May 2021.[citation needed]
Competition Format
Nicky Rackard Cup proper
Initially each of the six teams play the other five teams in a round of single round-robin matches. The top two teams qualify for the Nicky Rackard Cup final, held at Croke Park.
The winner of the Nicky Rackard Cup are also promoted automatically to the following year's Christy Ring Cup, which is the third tier of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. They will be replaced by the bottom-placed team in the 2021 Christy Ring Cup.
Relegation to Lory Meagher Cup
The bottom-placed team in the Nicky Rackard Cup are relegated to the following year's Lory Meagher Cup, and replaced by the 2021 Lory Meagher Cup Champions.