Summary of this article
International Hockey Federation announced the schedule for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands from August 15–30
India men face Wales, England, Pakistan; women take on China, South Africa, England
All matches for India will be played in Amstelveen during the group stage
International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced the schedule for the upcoming FIH World Cup 2026, set to be held across the Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30.
With both the men’s and women’s tournaments running simultaneously, the spotlight shifts to Europe, where the world’s top teams will battle for the title.
India’s campaign, both men and women, will begin in Amstelveen, where all their group-stage matches are scheduled to take place at the iconic Wagener Stadium.
With a compact format and no room for slow starts, every match from the opening day carries weight, especially with points being carried forward into the next round.
India men face a testing start to their campaign, opening against Wales on August 15.
They then take on England on August 17 in what could be a decisive encounter for qualification, before wrapping up the group stage against arch-rivals Pakistan on August 19, a clash that always brings intensity and added stakes.
The women’s team begin their journey a day later, facing China on August 16. They follow it up with matches against South Africa on August 18 and England on August 20, aiming to build momentum early in the tournament.
India Schedule - FIH Hockey World Cup 2026
All match timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST).
Men
August 15: India vs Wales – 16:30
August 17: India vs England – 18:30
August 19: India vs Pakistan – 18:30
Women
August 16: India vs China – 16:30
August 18: India vs South Africa – 18:30
August 20: India vs England – 18:30
FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 - Format And Pools
Women:
Pool A: Netherlands, Australia, Chile, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)
Pool B: Argentina, Germany, USA, Scotland (playing in Belgium)
Pool C: Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland (playing in Belgium)
Pool D: China, England, India, South Africa (playing in the Netherlands)
Men:
Pool A: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)
Pool B: Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia (playing in Belgium)
Pool C: Australia, Spain, Ireland, South Africa (playing in Belgium)
Pool D: England, India, Pakistan, Wales (playing in the Netherlands)
The tournament follows a two-stage group format, with 16 teams divided into four pools. The top two from each group advance to the second round (Pools E and F), while the bottom two move into classification pools (G and H).
Teams carry forward points into the second stage and play two more matches. The top two from Pools E and F progress to the semifinals, while the rest compete in placement matches, with Pools G and H deciding positions 9 to 16.
The semifinals and finals will be held across venues, with the women’s final in Amsterdam on August 29 and the men’s final in Wavre on August 30.
