2026 MEN’S FIH NATIONS CUP SQUAD HAS BEEN NAMED

Hockey New Zealand has named the Vantage Black Sticks Men’s squad set to compete at the 2026 FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Cape Town, South Africa next month.

The tournament will take place from 11–20 June at Hartleyvale Stadium, bringing together the top-ranked teams outside of the FIH Pro League as they compete for the opportunity to earn promotion to international hockey’s top tier.

New Zealand enters the competition as back-to-back champions, having claimed the Nations Cup title in both 2024 and 2025, and will be looking to attack the tournament once again in pursuit of a third consecutive title.

Vantage Black Sticks Men’s Squad:

Aidan Sarikaya, Benji Culhane, Brad Read, Charlie Morrison, Dane Lett, Dom Dixon, Dylan Thomas, Finn Ward, George Baker, Isaac Houlbrooke, Joe Morrison, Jonty Elmes, Kane Russell, Malachi Buschl, Matt Ruetsch, Nic Woods, Ryan Parr, Sam Lane, Scott Boyde, Tim Neild

The selected squad features a mix of experience and emerging talent, with Ryan Parr set to make his international debut for the Vantage Black Sticks Men.

Parr’s selection marks an exciting milestone for both the player and the programme, as the team continues to build depth and develop talent on the international stage.

Head Coach Greg Nicol said: “Ryan has been on our radar for a while now, having been a consistent performer for the Junior Black Sticks for several years. He performed at a very high level at the recent VBSM camp and so now looking forward to seeing him debut at Nations Cup in Cape Town”.

The team will travel to South Africa ahead of the tournament as they prepare to take on a strong international field and continue their push for continued success on the global stage.

Further tournament and broadcast details will be confirmed closer to the event.