"VAN" (Sports Desk - 18.02.2026) :: The race for a place at the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup 2026 takes a dramatic turn as Santiago, Chile prepares to host one of the sport’s most pivotal events — the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers from 2 – 8 March 2026.
This high-stakes tournament will see eight nations compete in a battle for direct qualification to the 16-team World Cup to be held in Belgium and the Netherlands later in 2026.
The Stakes: Three World Cup Spots Up For Grabs
With continental championships and the FIH Hockey Pro League already determining nine qualifiers, this event represents the final avenue for these eight aspiring nations to book their ticket to hockey’s showpiece event. The tournament format splits the field into two pools of four teams, with the top two from each pool progressing to the semifinals. The winners of both semifinals — and the bronze medal match — will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup. Additionally, the highest world-ranked team finishing fourth across both women's qualifier events — Santiago and Hyderabad — will also earn a berth.
Eight Teams, Two Pools, One Goal
Chile’s qualifiers bring together a compelling mix of teams from across the globe:
📍 Pool A: Australia, Chile, France, Switzerland
📍 Pool B: Japan, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia
These teams represent a blend of seasoned campaigners and rising challengers, each with its own story and aspirations as qualification tension builds.
Opening Day Showdowns
The preliminary round kicks off on Monday, 2 March, with all games played at the Centro Deportivo de Hockey Césped, Estadio Nacional in Santiago (local time):
13:00 – Japan vs Canada (Pool B)
15:15 – Ireland vs Malaysia (Pool B)
17:30 – Australia vs France (Pool A)
19:45 – Chile vs Switzerland (Pool A)
From 2-5 March the teams will battle through the pool stage to define the semifinals and classification matches. The semi-finals will be played on 7 March followed by the bronze medal match and the finals on 8 March 2026.
Matchups to Watch
Australia — Always a threat at elite events, the Hockeyroos will aim to assert early dominance in Pool A.
Host Nation Chile — Playing at home, Chile will look to harness local support and make history in front of its fans.
Ireland and France — Rapidly growing European sides with tactical nous and strong recent form, both with a strong chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
Canada and Japan — Teams with storied histories in international competitions looking to continue building their proud legacies.
Malaysia and Switzerland — A potential dark horses eyeing a breakthrough performance on the world stage.
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