The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 is underway, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, bringing together 16 of the world’s best teams. The opening matches are already concluded, and a new tournament format to secure a spot in the knockout stages has begun. Here is a look at how the tournament is unfolding and where the teams currently stand in the points table.
Unlike previous editions, this year’s tournament has entirely eliminated the traditional quarter-final stage. The 16 participating teams are initially divided into four pools (A, B, C, and D) of four teams each. After playing every opponent in their pool once, the top two teams from each group will advance to a second pool phase (Pools E and F).
The teams will carry forward the points they earned against the other qualifying team from their initial pool. This rule makes every single opening-round game important, as a loss early on can follow a team into the next phase. Ultimately, the top two teams from Pools E and F will proceed directly to the semi-finals.
The first round of the group stage saw England making a strong statement with a 4-1 victory over Pakistan in Pool D, while India secured a 3-1 win against a resilient Wales side. Over in Pool B, defending champions Germany started their campaign on a high note by defeating Malaysia 5-1, and co-hosts Belgium edged out France 3-2.
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Points Table:
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool A StandingsÂ
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| 2 | Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 3 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool B
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 |
| 2 | Belgium | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | France | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Malaysia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool C
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Ireland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 Pool D
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | India | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Wales | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
