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FIH Hockey World Cup 2026: India and Pakistan share Pool D in men’s section
India, Pakistan, England, and Wales have been placed in pool D of men’s hockey, while one of the co-hosts, the Netherlands, shares pool A with Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan.
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Prabhjot Paul Singh - Tue, 17, Mar 2026
- 17:27 EDT
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FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 / Wikipedia
Neighbors, arch-rivals, and once-acknowledged powerhouses of world hockey—India and Pakistan—have been grouped together for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup (men), to be played in Belgium and the Netherlands in August this year.
India, Pakistan, England, and Wales have been placed in Pool D of the men’s tournament, while co-host the Netherlands is in Pool A alongside Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan. All matches in Pools A and D will be played in the Netherlands.
Also Read: English teams close the Hyderabad World Cup Qualifier for women on a winning note
Belgium, the other co-host, is in Pool B with Germany, France, and Malaysia, while Australia, Spain, Ireland, and South Africa comprise Pool C.
The pools were revealed during an official draw ceremony held March 17 at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, one of the two venues for the tournament. The second venue will be the newly built Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium.
In the women’s section, India has been placed in Pool D along with China, England, and South Africa.
Co-host the Netherlands is in Pool A with Australia, Chile, and Japan. All matches in Pools A and D in the women’s tournament will be played in the Netherlands.
Argentina, Germany, the United States, and Scotland have been placed in Pool B, while Pool C includes co-host Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, and Ireland. Matches in Pools B and C will be held in Belgium.
The draw was conducted by international hockey legends Naomie van As, Barbara Neelen, and Teun de Nooijer, along with DJ La Fuente, who was also announced as the Dutch ambassador for the World Cup during the ceremony.
The event was attended by FIH President Tayyab Ikram, FIH Vice President and EuroHockey President Marcos Hofmann, FIH Executive Board member Erik Cornelissen, Dutch Hockey Federation President Erik Klein Nagelvoort, Belgian Hockey Federation President Patrick Keusters, team captains from the Netherlands (Renée van Laarhoven, Marijn Veen, Thierry Brinkman, and Lars Balk) and Belgium (Charlotte Englebert, Michelle Struijk, Arthur Van Doren, and vice-captain Arthur De Sloover), head coaches from the Netherlands (Raoul Ehren and Jeroen Delmée) and Belgium (Adam Commens and Shane McLeod), as well as representatives from local authorities, commercial partners, and other guests.
This will be the first time that the FIH Hockey World Cups—both men’s and women’s—will be co-hosted by two nations, with both tournaments taking place simultaneously.
FIH President Tayyab Ikram said, “Today’s draw marks another major milestone on the road to the most prestigious FIH event, the FIH Hockey World Cup. The upcoming edition, for both women and men, co-hosted by two hockey powerhouses, promises to be a resounding success. We are very grateful to Belgium and the Netherlands for hosting our top athletes and the global hockey community in less than six months’ time.
“In today’s fractured world, sport—and events such as this in particular—can play a substantial role in bringing people together. It can foster peace at times when our world is torn apart by conflict.
“I invite all fans around the world to join in, and I already wish all participating athletes an unforgettable experience.”
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