Ireland’s men’s and women’s hockey teams have learned their group stage opponents for this summer’s FIH Hockey World Cup following the official draw in Amsterdam.
Both sides have been placed in Pools that will see them undertake their early matches in Belgium.
The Irish women’s team will face Belgium, Spain and New Zealand in a competitive group that blends European familiarity with southern hemisphere opposition. Belgium, as co-hosts, are expected to draw strong home support, while Spain and New Zealand bring proven pedigree at major tournaments.
On the men’s side, Ireland have been drawn against Australia, Spain and South Africa. The presence of Australia, one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses, presents a formidable test.
The draw comes on the back of strong qualification campaigns for both Irish teams, each showing resilience and form to secure their place at the tournament.
Mark Tumilty’s men arrive in confident mood after an impressive qualifying campaign in Chile earlier this month. Ireland topped their tournament with a perfect record, recording victories over Canada, Korea, Poland, Wales and France.
The women’s team, meanwhile, had to come through a more dramatic route to qualification. Their place at the finals was secured via a tense third-place play-off against Japan in Santiago, where Ireland held their nerve to win in a penalty shootout.
There is an added logistical boost for Irish supporters planning to follow the teams, with both squads set to be based in Wavre, Belgium for the pool stages. The shared location is expected to help create a sense of unity between the men’s and women’s squads, while also making it easier for travelling fans to support both teams across the group phase.
The 16-nation tournaments will be staged across venues in the Netherlands and Belgium from 15 to 30 August, bringing together the world’s leading hockey nations in what promises to be one of the highlights of the international calendar.
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