Hockey World Cup qualifiers - all you need to know
Ireland and England faced each other in the Pro League in December
- Published
The FIH Hockey World Cup qualifiers mark the final stage of the journey to the 2026 Hockey World Cup which will be jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands from 15-30 August.
Nine men's and women's teams have already qualified either from winning their respective continental championship in 2025 or through the FIH Pro League, with the Netherlands and Belgium qualifying as hosts.
That leaves seven places. There will be two qualifying tournaments for men and women with eight countries in each divided into two pools of four based on their world ranking.
The top three teams from each tournament automatically qualify.
Additionally, the highest world-ranked fourth-placed team across the events also earns a coveted World Cup berth.
Men’s and women’s teams from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales will be involved.
Who will the home nations face?
City of Santiago, Chile (1-8 March 2026)
Women's competition
Pool A: Australia, Chile, France, Switzerland
Pool B: Japan, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia
Men's competition
Pool A: Chile, France, Wales, Scotland
Pool B: Canada, Ireland, Korea, Poland
Ismailia, Egypt (1-7 March 2026)
Men's Pool A: Egypt, England, Japan, USA
Men's Pool B: Austria, China, Malaysia, Pakistan
Hyderabad, Telangana, India (8-14 March 2026)
Women's Pool A: Austria, England, Italy, Korea
Women's Pool B: India, Scotland, Uruguay, Wales
What are the chances of qualification?
With three places up for grabs in each tournament, qualification should be reasonably straightforward for England's men, who have moved up to fourth in the world rankings after recent impressive performances in the FIH Pro League.
Malaysia are the next highest ranked team in 13th.
The other men's tournament in Chile, however, could be a real fight for the three places. France, ranked ninth in the world, and Ireland in 11th will be favourites but Wales (15), Korea (16), Canada (19) and Scotland (20) are all capable of upsetting anyone on their day.
Wales qualified for the last World Cup at the expense of Ireland and will be looking to make it again while Scotland have never qualified but are capable of making history.
In the women’s tournament in Chile 2018 World Cup silver medallists Ireland will fancy their chances of qualifying for the third time in a row.
Although they are the third-ranked team behind Australia and Japan, their recent 4-1 win over the Aussies in the Pro League will have been a huge confidence booster.
Australia, surprisingly, find themselves in the qualification tournament after losing the Oceania Cup to New Zealand, but they should not have too many issues navigating their way to the finals but hosts Chile are the dark horses and could upset any of the three nations above them in the world rankings.
India are the favourites to win the other women’s tournament with home advantage although England are ranked one place above them in the current world rankings and the highest placed team of the eight competing.
Italy and Korea will be competitive but Scotland have a huge opportunity here to make their first World Cup Finals for twenty years.
They are the third ranked team in the tournament while Wales will have to pull off some upsets if they are to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1983.
Match schedule for the home nations
(All times GMT)
Sunday 1 March
Santiago
Ireland men v Canada, 14:45
France men v Scotland, 19:15
Wales men v Chile, 22:30
Ismailia
England men v Japan, 16:45
Monday 2 March
Santiago
Ireland women v Malaysia, 18:00
Ismailia
England men v Egypt, 18:45
Tuesday 3 March
Santiago
Korea men v Ireland, 14:15
Ireland women v Japan, 18:45
Wales men v France, 19:00
Scotland men v Chile, 23:15
Wednesday 4 March
Santiago
Ireland men v Poland, 12:00
Scotland men v Wales, 19:00
Ismailia
England men v USA, 16:45
Thursday 5 March
Santiago
Ireland women v Canada, 18:15
Friday 6 March
Santiago
Men's semi-finals, 20:30/22:45
Ismailia
Men's semi-finals, 16:45/19:00
Saturday 7 March
Santiago
Women's semi-finals, 21:00/23:15
Ismailia
Men's 3/4 play-off, 16:45
Men's final, 19:00
Sunday 8 March
Santiago
Men's 3/4 play-off, 16:30
Men's Final, 18:45
Women's 3/4 play-off, 21:00
Women's final, 23:15
Hyderabad
England women v Italy, 07:15
Scotland women v Wales, 11:45
Monday 9 March
Hyderabad
Korea women v England, 09:30
Uruguay women v Wales, 11:45
Scotland women v India, 14:00
Wednesday 11 March
Hyderabad
England women v Austria, 07:15
Uruguay women v Scotland, 11:45
India women v Wales, 14:00
Friday 13 March
Hyderabad
Women's semi-finals, 11:45/14:00
Saturday 14 March
Hyderabad
Women's 3/4 play-off, 11:45
Women's final, 14:00
