Now Reading: Belgium and Netherlands to host 2026 Hockey World Cup from August 15
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Belgium and Netherlands to host 2026 Hockey World Cup from August 15
Belgium and the Netherlands will co-host the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup from August 15. Germany, the defending men's champion, will seek a fourth title. Pakistan holds the men's record with four…
The Story in Brief
Belgium and the Netherlands will co-host the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup from August 15. Germany, the defending men's champion, will seek a fourth title. Pakistan holds the men's record with four titles (1971, 1978, 1982, 1994), while the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia have won three each. India won in 1975.
In women's hockey, the Netherlands has won nine of 15 editions since 1974, including the 2022 title. No other women's team has more than two titles. Argentina and Australia have each won two. The 2026 tournament will be the first co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that hockey belongs only to a few traditional powers ignores history. Pakistan’s four men’s titles and India’s 1975 win remind us that the subcontinent once ruled. The current talk of Belgian-Dutch supremacy overlooks how Australia and Germany have each won three crowns. The real test in 2026 will be whether India, ranked fifth, can end a 51-year men’s drought. The number to watch: how many Asian teams reach the semi-finals.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
