Hockey World Cup 2026: New Format Raises Stakes for Pool Stage

Hockey World Cup 2026: New format puts greater emphasis on pool-stage results

New Delhi, Aug 10

The new format means teams will have little margin for error from the outset, with results from the opening pool stage potentially carrying over into the next phase. India's men have been drawn alongside England, Pakistan and Wales in Pool D, while the Indian women will face China, England and South Africa in their Pool D campaign.

The tournament will begin with the 16 teams in each competition split across four pools of four. From August 15 to 20, every team will play three matches against the other sides in its pool, with the final standings determining the composition of the next phase.

The top two teams from Pools A and D will move into Pool E, while the leading two teams from Pools B and C will form Pool F. The teams finishing third and fourth in Pools A and D will make up Pool G, with the corresponding teams from Pools B and C placed in Pool H.

The second phase, scheduled from August 21 to 24, will see teams play three more matches. However, one result from the opening phase will carry forward - the outcome of the Phase 1 match between the two teams that progress from the same original pool.

This makes every pool match particularly significant, especially for sides targeting the semi-finals.

The top two finishers from Pool E and Pool F will advance directly to the last four. The semi-final match-ups will be Pool E winners vs Pool F runners-up and Pool F winners vs Pool E runners-up.

The remaining teams will compete in classification matches for positions 5th to 16th.

Indian women's team's chief coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledged that while he would have preferred the traditional quarterfinal route, the new structure presents opportunities that his team must exploit.

"It's an interesting schedule, but my preference is to have quarterfinals in a tournament format. I understand that for higher-ranked teams in the world they will prefer this, but I think quarterfinal matches are among the most exciting matches in a tournament. But it is how it is, and we will deal with this and make the best of this format. I am always thinking in opportunities, and there are opportunities also within this format," Marijne said.

For the Indian men's team, coach Craig Fulton stressed that the importance of the opening pool matches has increased considerably because of the carry-forward system.

"The format of this tournament has obviously changed drastically - from having quarter-finals to not having them. So the emphasis on the pool games is really, really important, because it's obviously the top two that go through. And the head-to-head result between those two teams matters: if one beats the other, those three points carry into the next round, and that puts you in the driving seat to get out of the next group and into the semi-finals," said Fulton.

Fulton also highlighted the significance of goal difference, particularly in a format where a tightly contested pool could be decided by fine margins, adding,

"So yes, it's different - it's not good or bad. We can make it an advantage for us if we start well. We really have to manage our goal difference well. The team that finishes top of the group is decided by the most wins, and then it goes to goal difference - so if there's a draw, goal difference decides it."

Following the crossover phase, the classification matches and semi-finals will be held on August 27 and 28. The women's tournament will conclude in the Netherlands on August 29, with the bronze-medal match followed by the final.

The men's World Cup will conclude in Belgium a day later, on August 30, with its bronze-medal match and final.

With the quarterfinals removed, the 2026 World Cup places a premium on consistency across both preliminary phases. For teams harbouring title ambitions, a strong opening pool campaign could provide not only progression but also a crucial advantage heading into the decisive crossover stage.

— IANS