A historic first for the women's field hockey world championship
In short: For the first time in history, the men's and women's world cups will be held as a single joint tournament. This logistical shift marks a significant evolution in how the International Hockey Federation structures its premier global competitions, uniting two distinct championships under one banner.
The 2026 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup, scheduled for August 15 to 29, 2026, represents a major milestone for the sport. While the women's event is the 16th edition of its quadrennial championship, it will be held simultaneously with the men's tournament. This joint hosting marks a departure from previous years where the events were managed separately. The tournament will be co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, who secured the rights in November 2022 over bids from Australia, South Africa, and Uruguay.
The competition features 16 teams, a standard maintained since the expansion in 2018. The path to the tournament is a complex amalgamation of the FIH Pro League, continental championships, and specific World Cup Qualifiers held between December 2023 and March 2026. Automatic berths are granted to the hosts, the top-ranked teams from the FIH Pro League seasons, and five continental champions. The remaining spots are contested in a qualifying phase where 16 teams compete for the final seven places.
Infrastructure plays a critical role in this edition. Belgium's Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre and the Netherlands' Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen are both undergoing significant upgrades. Both venues, which have capacities of 4,000 and 8,000 respectively, are being expanded to accommodate 10,000 spectators each. This expansion highlights the growing scale of the sport and the necessity of high-capacity venues to support the unified tournament format.
The tournament landscape is shifting as well. Notable entries include Scotland returning for the first time since 2002 and the United States returning after a 2022 absence. In contrast, South Korea missed out for the initial period following 1986, whereas France—the top-placed side excluded—yielded their position to South Africa, who occupied the bottom rank among those admitted.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2026 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup
- Also: Wikidata — 2026 Women's FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers · CC0
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