What is the FIH Hockey World Cup?
Field hockey's world championship, run by the International Hockey Federation every four years since 1971 for men and 1974 for women. Sixteen teams contest each tournament. The 2026 edition is the first to stage the men's and women's World Cups as a single joint event, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands at Wavre and Amstelveen, and the first to drop quarter-finals: two second-round pools feed straight into the semi-finals.[1] [2]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — in progress | Wavre (BEL) & Amstelveen (NED) — first joint edition |
| 2023 | M: Germany | Bhubaneswar & Rourkela (IND) |
| 2022 | W: Netherlands | Terrassa (ESP) & Amstelveen (NED) |
| 2018 | M: Belgium · W: Netherlands | M: Bhubaneswar (IND) · W: London (ENG) |
| 2014 | M: Australia · W: Netherlands | The Hague (NED) |
| 2010 | M: Australia · W: Argentina | M: New Delhi (IND) · W: Rosario (ARG) |
Recent editions. The 2026 tournament was still being played when this page was last reviewed.
How do teams qualify?
Places go to the two co-hosts, the top-ranked side from each of the two most recent FIH Pro League seasons, the five continental champions — Pan American Cup, EuroHockey Championship, Asia Cup, Oceania Cup and Africa Cup of Nations — and seven teams from the World Cup Qualifiers, staged in 2026 at Santiago and Ismailia.[1] [3]
Who has dominated?
In the men's game the titles are spread: Pakistan lead with four, ahead of the Netherlands, Australia and Germany on three each, with Belgium's 2018 win in Bhubaneswar their first. The women's record is far more concentrated — the Netherlands have won nine, against two each for Argentina and Australia.[2] [4]
Why does it matter?
Because it is the sport's only global title outside the Olympic tournament, and its qualification chain — continental championships plus the Pro League — is the framework through which national federations plan a whole four-year cycle. Missing it has consequences: South Korea failed to qualify for 2026 for the first time since 1986.[1] [3]
References
- FIH — Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026. Accessed August 2026.
- FIH — International Hockey Federation. Accessed August 2026.
- FIH — World Cup qualification. Accessed August 2026.
- FIH — Women's Hockey World Cup. Accessed August 2026.