The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup will unite the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey teams in an exciting dual-host format across Belgium and the Netherlands. Scheduled for mid-August, this edition marks a historic first for Belgium as host, and the third instance where both tournaments will be conducted simultaneously at shared venues.
The competition is set to run from 15 to 30 August 2026, with matches evenly divided between the newly built Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre and the renowned Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam. Both nations, long-standing powerhouses in international hockey, will serve as home bases for their national teams, promising vibrant local support during the early stages of the tournament.
The 2026 edition will feature 16 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams competing under a revised format. In the first stage, nations will be grouped into four pools. The top two from each pool will advance to the second round, carrying forward their results against common opponents. This stage will determine the semi-finalists as well as classification pathways from fifth place onwards. Teams finishing lower in the initial round will contest placement matches to decide final rankings.
Half of the participating teams have already confirmed their spots, including hosts Belgium and the Netherlands, along with several top-ranked hockey nations. The remaining teams will qualify through continental championships and early-2026 play-offs. The official draw, scheduled for March 2026, will finalize the group compositions and designate base cities for all participating nations during the opening phase.
A landmark feature of the 2026 event will be the introduction of the FIH ParaHockey World Cup for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Conducted alongside the main tournament and hosted in the same venues, this initiative highlights hockey’s deepening commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and equal participation across all levels of the sport.
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