From March 2 to 14, 2026, sixteen teams fight for their spot at the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup. In the Chile leg last time out, Ireland went unbeaten through the pool stage, scoring 12 goals and conceding just 2.
Australia found its form too, putting 8 goals past its opponents. Now, two host cities – Santiago and Hyderabad, take center stage as the final qualification battle begins. Seven spots are up for grabs across two tournaments. The pressure is real, and every match counts.
FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2026 Schedule
The 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers bring together 16 teams split across two tournaments – one in Santiago, Chile, and one in Hyderabad, India.
Each tournament runs its own pool stage, crossover round, and medal round, with the top three teams from each event plus one best-ranked fourth-place team earning a World Cup spot.
Tournament 1 – Santiago, Chile (March 2–8, 2026)
The first tournament takes place at the Estadio Nacional del Hockey Césped Claudia Schüler in Santiago. Eight teams from four confederations compete here. Pool A features Chile, Australia, France, and Switzerland.
Pool B has Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, and Canada. After the pool stage, the top two from each pool move to the semi-finals, while the third and fourth-place teams enter the classification round.
Pool A Match Schedule – Tournament 1
Here is a look at all the Pool A matches played in Santiago. Chile dominated their group with three wins and nine goals, while Australia secured second place with two wins.
| Date | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| March 2 | Australia vs France | 4–0 |
| March 2 | Chile vs Switzerland | 6–0 |
| March 4 | France vs Switzerland | 2–1 |
| March 4 | Chile vs Australia | 2–1 |
| March 5 | Australia vs Switzerland | 3–0 |
| March 5 | France vs Chile | 0–1 |
Pool A final standings saw Chile top the group with 9 points and a +8 goal difference. Australia finished second with 6 points. France and Switzerland were eliminated after finishing third and fourth.
Pool B Match Schedule – Tournament 1
Pool B produced some high-scoring games, with Ireland and Japan both advancing. Ireland was the standout team, winning all three matches and scoring 12 goals total. Canada struggled throughout, losing all three games and conceding 15 goals.
| Date | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| March 2 | Japan vs Canada | 4–0 |
| March 2 | Ireland vs Malaysia | 5–0 |
| March 3 | Canada vs Malaysia | 1–6 |
| March 3 | Ireland vs Japan | 2–1 |
| March 5 | Japan vs Malaysia | 4–0 |
| March 5 | Canada vs Ireland | 1–5 |
Ireland finished top of Pool B with 9 points and a +10 goal difference. Japan came second with 6 points. Malaysia and Canada both failed to advance from the group stage.
Classification Round – Tournament 1 (March 7–8, 2026)
The classification round features the third and fourth-place teams from each pool. France takes on Canada in Crossover 1, while Malaysia meets Switzerland in Crossover 2. The winners then play the fifth-place match, and the losers fight for seventh place on March 8. These matches decide the final placings from fifth to eighth.
| Date | Match | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| March 7 | France vs Canada | Crossover 1 |
| March 7 | Malaysia vs Switzerland | Crossover 2 |
| March 8 | Loser C1 vs Loser C2 | 7th Place |
| March 8 | Winner C1 vs Winner C2 | 5th Place |
Medal Round – Tournament 1 (March 7–8, 2026)
The semi-finals and final decide who qualifies for the World Cup from Tournament 1. Chile face Japan in SF1, while Ireland play the Pool A runner-up in SF2. The top three teams from this stage earn their World Cup tickets, making every match in this stage a must-win for qualification.
| Date | Match | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| March 7 | 1st Pool A vs Japan | Semi-final 1 |
| March 7 | Ireland vs 2nd Pool A | Semi-final 2 |
| March 8 | Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 | 3rd Place |
| March 8 | Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | Final |
Tournament 2 – Hyderabad, India (March 8–14, 2026)
The second tournament is held at the G.M.C. Balayogi Hockey Ground in Hyderabad. Eight teams compete here too, split into Pool A (England, Korea, Italy, Austria) and Pool B (India, Scotland, Uruguay, Wales).
India plays as hosts and will carry strong home support into every match. The same format applies – top two from each pool advance to the semi-finals.
Pool A Match Schedule – Tournament 2
England, Korea, Italy, and Austria open their campaigns in Hyderabad on March 8. All six pool matches wrap up by March 11 before the rest day on March 12. Each team plays three games in this group, with only the top two advancing to the semi-finals.
| Date | Match | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|
| March 8 | England vs Italy | 12:45 |
| March 8 | Korea vs Austria | 15:00 |
| March 9 | Italy vs Austria | 12:45 |
| March 9 | Korea vs England | 15:00 |
| March 11 | England vs Austria | 12:45 |
| March 11 | Italy vs Korea | 15:00 |
Pool B Match Schedule – Tournament 2
India opens their home tournament against Uruguay on March 8 in front of what is expected to be a packed crowd. Pool B also includes Scotland and Wales, both of whom qualified through the EuroHockey Championship. India and Scotland are among the favorites to advance from this group.
| Date | Match | Time (Local) |
|---|---|---|
| March 8 | Scotland vs Wales | 17:15 |
| March 8 | India vs Uruguay | 19:30 |
| March 9 | Uruguay vs Wales | 17:15 |
| March 9 | Scotland vs India | 19:30 |
| March 11 | Uruguay vs Scotland | 17:15 |
| March 11 | India vs Wales | 19:30 |
Classification Round – Tournament 2 (March 13–14, 2026)
Just like in Santiago, the third and fourth-place finishers in Hyderabad enter the crossover round. The 3rd-place team from Pool A meets the 4th-place team from Pool B, and vice versa. Winners of those crossovers meet in the fifth-place match, while losers play for seventh on March 14.
| Date | Match | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| March 13 | 3rd Pool A vs 4th Pool B | Crossover 1 |
| March 13 | 3rd Pool B vs 4th Pool A | Crossover 2 |
| March 14 | Loser C1 vs Loser C2 | 7th Place |
| March 14 | Winner C1 vs Winner C2 | 5th Place |
Medal Round – Tournament 2 (March 13–14, 2026)
The semi-finals in Hyderabad pit 1st Pool A against 2nd Pool B in SF1, and 1st Pool B against 2nd Pool A in SF2. India, if they top Pool B, will play in the second semi-final. The final takes place on March 14 at 19:30 local time, with the top three finishers all booking their spots at the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup.
| Date | Match | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| March 13 | 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B | Semi-final 1 |
| March 13 | 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A | Semi-final 2 |
| March 14 | Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 | 3rd Place |
| March 14 | Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 | Final |
Venues for FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2026
Estadio Nacional del Hockey Césped Claudia Schüler
Two world-class venues host the action across both tournaments.
The Estadio Nacional del Hockey Césped Claudia Schüler in Santiago is a purpose-built hockey stadium with strong fan support from Chile.
G.M.C. Balayogi Hockey Ground
In Hyderabad, the G.M.C. Balayogi Hockey Ground has hosted top-level hockey before.
It offers a high-energy atmosphere, especially when India plays under the lights.
Teams Participating in the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2026
All 16 teams earned their spots through continental qualifiers in 2025. Here is the full list split by tournament.
Tournament 1 – Santiago, Chile
| Pool A | Pool B |
|---|---|
| Chile (Host) | Ireland |
| Australia | Japan |
| France | Malaysia |
| Switzerland | Canada |
Tournament 2 – Hyderabad, India
| Pool A | Pool B |
|---|---|
| England | India (Host) |
| Korea | Scotland |
| Italy | Uruguay |
| Austria | Wales |
Qualification Format Explained
Seven teams in total will qualify for the 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup from these qualifiers. The top three teams from each tournament earn automatic spots.
The seventh spot goes to the highest-ranked team that finishes fourth in either event, based on FIH world rankings. So even a fourth-place finish is not completely the end of the road for some teams.
Top Goalscorers – Tournament 1 (as of March 5, 2026)
The goals have been flowing in Santiago. Neasa Flynn of Australia and Caoimhe Perdue of Ireland lead the charts with three goals each.
Ireland’s Sarah Torrans and Japan’s Akari Nakagomi and Shiho Kobayakawa have also been sharp in front of goal with two each. Chile’s attacking depth has also shown up well, with five different players on the scoresheet across their three games.
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Conclusion: Your Complete Guide to the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers 2026
The 2026 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers are the last chance for 16 teams to book their place at the big stage. With two tournaments running back-to-back in Santiago and Hyderabad, the action is fast, and the stakes are high. From Chile’s dominant home form to India’s passionate crowd advantage, this is more than just a qualifier – it is where World Cup dreams are made.
