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Hockey World Cup 2026 Pools Drawn: India in Tough Groups with Rivals

The official draw for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 has been conducted in Amsterdam, determining the group stage pools for both the men's and women's tournaments. In a notable draw, the Indian men's team will face England, Pakistan, and Wales in Pool D, while the women's team is grouped with China, England, and South Africa. The event, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, will take place from August 15 to 30, 2026, across venues in Amsterdam and Wavre. FIH President Tayyab Ikram highlighted the event's role in fostering global unity through sport.

Key Points: FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Groups Announced for Men & Women

  • Pools for men's and women's tournaments set
  • India drawn with England, Pakistan, Wales
  • Event co-hosted by Belgium and Netherlands
  • Full match schedule to be announced March 18
3 min read

FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Pools revealed

Official pools for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium & Netherlands revealed. See where India, Pakistan, and other top teams will compete.

"Today's draw marks another major milestone on the road to the most prestigious FIH event. - Tayyab Ikram"

Lausanne, March 17

An official draw ceremony held today at the iconic Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands - one of the two venues where the upcoming World Cup will be held, alongside the brand-new Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium - has determined the eight Pools of the group stage of the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026, according to a release.

The draw was done by international hockey legends Naomie van As, Barbara Neelen and Teun de Nooijer, as well as DJ La Fuente, who was announced as Dutch Ambassador for the World Cup during the ceremony.

The World Cup 2026 groupings:

Women:

Pool A: Netherlands, Australia, Chile, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)Pool B: Argentina, Germany, USA, Scotland (playing in Belgium)Pool C: Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland (playing in Belgium)Pool D: China, England, India, South Africa (playing in the Netherlands)

Men:

Pool A: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)Pool B: Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia (playing in Belgium)Pool C: Australia, Spain, Ireland, South Africa (playing in Belgium)Pool D: England, India, Pakistan, Wales (playing in the Netherlands)

Today's milestone event was attended by FIH President Tayyab Ikram, FIH Vice-President and EuroHockey President Marcos Hofman, FIH Executive Board Member Erik Cornelissen, Dutch Hockey Federation President Erik Klein Nagelvoort, Belgian Hockey Federation President Patrick Keusters, the captains from the Netherlands (Renee van Laarhoven, Marijn Veenand, Thierry Brinkman and Lars Balk) and Belgium (Charlotte Englebert, Michelle Struijk, Arthur Van Doren and vice-captain Arthur De Sloover), the head coaches from the Netherlands (Raoul Ehren and Jeroen Delmee) and Belgium (Adam Commens and Shane McLeod), representatives from the local authorities, commercial partners and numerous other guests.

FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: "Today's draw marks another major milestone on the road to the most prestigious FIH event, the FIH Hockey World Cup! The upcoming edition, for both women and men, co-hosted by two hockey powerhouses, promises to be a resounding success. We are very grateful to both Belgium and the Netherlands for hosting our top athletes and the global hockey community in less than six months' time."

"In today's fractured world, sport--and events such as this in particular--can play a substantial role in bringing people together. It can foster peace at times when our world is torn apart by conflict. I invite all fans around the world to join in, and I already wish all participating athletes an unforgettable experience," he added.

Match schedule

The FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 will be held in Amsterdam and Wavre from 15 to 30 August 2026. The full match schedule will be announced tomorrow, 18 March.

Mascots

Another important World Cup duo was revealed today: two playful and energetic mascots, representing the joy, teamwork and energy of hockey! One per gender. Round - just like a hockey ball and like our world - they symbolise how hockey brings people together from every corner of the globe. A campaign will soon be launched to invite fans to give names to these mascots.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Our women's team has a tough but good pool with China, England, and South Africa. Playing in the Netherlands will be a great experience. Hope they get good support from the Indian diaspora there. All the best to the women's team! 💪
R
Rohit P
The men's pool looks balanced. We should top the group. Pakistan match is always high-pressure, but our team is stronger on paper. Just hope the scheduling is fair and we get enough rest between matches.
S
Sarah B
As a hockey fan living in Amsterdam, I'm thrilled the draw is done! Can't wait to watch some world-class hockey live. The India-Pakistan match will be an absolute blockbuster. Hope the tickets are reasonably priced.
V
Vikram M
Good to see the FIH President's message about sport bringing people together. In today's times, we need such events. On a lighter note, the mascots look cute! Hope they get good Indian-inspired names in the naming campaign.
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, I feel the women's team deserves more attention and better preparation than the men's team for this World Cup. Their pool is very competitive, and they need all the support they can get from the federation. Let's not just focus on the men's India-Pakistan game.
M
Michael C

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