Summary of this article
England play Scotland in the FIH Women's World Cup qualifying semi-final match
Both the sides are coming out of wins in their last Pool games
The winner of this match will qualify for the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026
After an exciting Pool campaign, the England Women’s Hockey Team is ready to face Scotland in their semi-final match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers at Hyderabad, Telangana, on March 13 (Friday). The winner of this match earns direct qualification for the 2026 FIH Women's World Cup.
Even for the loser, the journey isn't necessarily over. They will play in the third-place playoff, and the top three finishers in Hyderabad qualify automatically. Among the four semi-finalists, India have already qualified based on their world ranking compared to the 4th-placed team from the Santiago (Chile) qualifiers.
England enter the semi-finals as the form team of the tournament, having swept Pool A with three consecutive wins and zero goals conceded in their final two pool matches.
They secured a 5-2 win over Italy in the opening match. They kept the momentum going when they defeated South Korea 3-0 and Austria 2-0 in the second and third matches of the Pool stage.
Grace Balsdon has been lethal from penalty corners, scoring in every pool game. Lily Walker and Holly Hunt provide the creative spark in midfield, while the defense has looked impenetrable since the opening match. Their depth and experience in high-pressure knockout games make them the heavy favorites.
Scotland have been the dark horse of the competition so far. They unveiled themselves as the surprise package finishing Pool B unbeaten. They faced a tough battle against India but produced a gritty performance there as well.
Scotland secured their semi-final spot with a gritty 3-1 win over Uruguay. They opened their campaign with a massive 2-2 draw against hosts India and then went off to defeat Wales 2-1.
Katherine Holdgate is in red-hot form after her double against Uruguay. Goalkeeper Jessica Buchanan has been heroic, particularly in the stalemate against India where she denied multiple penalty corners.
Scotland is one win away from qualifying for their first World Cup since 2002. That hunger, combined with their defensive organization make them a tough opponent to face for England, despite their higher quality.
The Santiago leg of the qualifiers concluded earlier, where Chile, Australia and Ireland secured the three direct qualification spots. Japan finished fourth in Santiago and are currently ranked No. 15 in the world. At this moment Scotland is ahead of them, which means Scotland is likely to have a safety net, even if they lose.
England Vs Scotland, FIH Women's World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Preview: Live Streaming Info
The England vs Scotland, FIH Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 match will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app/website as well as the Star Sports Khel TV channel in India.
When and where will the England vs Scotland, FIH Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 semi-final match be played?
The G.M.C. Balayogi Hockey Ground in Hyderabad will host the India vs Italy, FIH Women's Hockey World Cup 2026 semi-final match and the match has a scheduled start time of 5:15 PM IST (Indian Standard Time).
What happened in Scotland's third Pool B match against Uruguay?
Scotland defeated Uruguay 3-1 to qualify.
What happened in England's third Pool A match against Austria?
England defeated Austria in the third Pool A match.
What happens to the winner of the semi-final?
The winner of the England vs Scotland semi-final will qualify for the FIH Women's World Cup 2026.
What happens to the loser of the semi-final?
The loser of the semi-final will play in the third-place play-off.
