New Delhi, Aug. 10 -- The FIH Hockey men's and women's World Cup 2026 will have a new competition format, with the traditional quarterfinal stage removed and the top two teams from each of the two crossover pools progressing directly to the semi-finals. Belgium and the Netherlands will jointly host the tournament from August 15 to 30.
The revamped structure places greater importance on the opening pool matches, with one result from the first phase carried forward into the crossover stage. India's men have been placed in Pool D alongside England, Pakistan and Wales, while the women's team will face China, England and South Africa in Pool D.
The 16 teams in each competition will initially be divided into four pools of four. Between August 1...