2026 FIH WORLD CUP DRAW & POOL ANNOUNCED
Hockey New Zealand is pleased to confirm the Vantage Black Sticks Men and Women’s match schedules for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, following the official draw and release of fixtures for the tournament in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Both teams will compete on the world stage from 14–30 August 2026, with pool matches now confirmed as the Vantage Black Sticks prepare to take on the world’s best.
The Vantage Black Sticks Women have been drawn into Pool C alongside Belgium, Spain and Ireland, with all matches to be played at the Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium.
The women will open their campaign against host nation Belgium before facing Ireland and Spain in what shapes as a highly competitive pool.
Women’s match schedule (NZT):
vs Belgium – 17 August, 3:30am
vs Ireland – 18 August, 9:00pm
vs Spain – 21 August, 12:00am
Head Coach Phil Burrows shares his reaction to the draw, “It’s an exciting draw for us. Opening against the host nation in Belgium is a great occasion and a real test straight away. Ireland and Spain are both strong sides, so it’s a quality pool. Being up against all European and Pro League teams presents a consistent, high-level challenge, which is exactly what you want at a World Cup.”
Captain Olivia Shannon echoed Phil’s comments, “I know the squad is putting in a huge amount of work as we build towards the World Cup. Being drawn in a pool where we open against Belgium on their home turf adds an extra edge it’s a massive occasion and an exciting challenge to play in front of their crowd.
There’s a real sense of momentum building, especially with the Nations Cup at home providing such a great lead in. It’s an exciting period for the team, and there’s a lot to look forward to.”
The Vantage Black Sticks Men have been drawn into Pool A alongside Netherlands, Argentina and Japan, with matches to be played at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
The men will open their tournament against host nation Netherlands, before taking on Japan and Argentina.
Men’s match schedule (NZT):
vs Netherlands – 17 August, 2:00am
vs Japan – 18 August, 7:30pm
vs Argentina – 20 August, 10:30pm
Head Coach Greg Nicol is looking forward to playing against the world’s best , “It’s exciting to open against one of the best teams in the world, on their home turf, in a World Cup. We know there will be big crowds and a lot of noise, but that’s what we want, we’re here to challenge ourselves and test where we’re at. Looking at the rest of the pool, we’ve played Japan a few times recently and had some success, while we haven’t faced Argentina since Paris, so that will be a great challenge as well.”
Co-captain Sam Lane shares a personal memory when reviewing the draw, “In terms of the games you want to play in, opening against the Dutch at home in our first World Cup match gets the adrenaline going just thinking about it. They’re a passionate crowd and love to be entertained. I remember watching the 2014 World Cup match against the Dutch and hoping one day I’d get to experience that.
Argentina in the final pool game will always be a feisty encounter, as it has been in the past. And Japan deserve a lot of respect, they showed real class in Hamilton during our recent series and will be competitive.”
Both teams secured their place at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup through strong performances at the 2025 Oceania Cup, continuing New Zealand’s consistent presence on the global stage.
The World Cup features 16 teams split across four pools, with the top teams progressing through to the knockout stages as they compete for the one of the sport’s biggest trophies, World Cup Champions!
For the Vantage Black Sticks, the announcement of the draw and match schedule marks an important step in their preparation, with a clear pathway now set for their World Cup campaigns.
Further information, including broadcast details, will be announced closer to the tournament.