Belgium & Netherlands to Host the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup

The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup will bring together the world’s top men’s and women’s teams in a unique dual-host format across Belgium and the Netherlands. Scheduled for mid-August, the event marks the first time Belgium will host the championship and the third time both tournaments will run simultaneously in shared venues.

Dual-hosting across Wavre and Amsterdam

The competition will be held from 15 to 30 August 2026, with matches split evenly between the new Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre and the iconic Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam. Belgium and the Netherlands, both major forces in international hockey, will serve as bases for their respective national teams, drawing strong home support during the group stages.

New competition format unveiled

Sixteen men’s teams and sixteen women’s teams will participate under a revised format. Nations will first compete in four initial groups. The top two from each pool will then progress to a second set of groups, carrying forward their earlier result against the same opponent. This stage determines semi-finalists and classification pathways from fifth place onward. Lower-ranked teams after the first phase will compete in alternate groups for the remaining positions.

Qualification progress and tournament build-up

Half of the teams have already secured qualification, with hosts Belgium and the Netherlands joined by leading hockey nations across both competitions. Additional teams will qualify after continental championships and early-2026 play-offs. The full draw will take place in March 2026, confirming opponents and base cities for all teams during the opening ten days.

Exam Oriented Facts

• The 2026 event is jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
• Matches will be played in Wavre’s Belfius Hockey Arena and Amsterdam’s Wagener Stadium.
• Sixteen teams per gender will compete under a newly introduced dual-group format.
• The men’s final will be held in Wavre and the women’s final in Amsterdam.

Inclusion strengthened through ParaHockey debut

A major milestone for the sport will be the launch of the first FIH ParaHockey World Cup for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Held alongside the main tournament and staged in the same arenas, it underscores hockey’s growing emphasis on diversity, fairness and inclusive global participation.