Darwin Hosts Oceania Cup 2025: Teams Eye 2026 World Cup Spots
September 1, 2025
Darwin, Australia will host the Oceania Cup 2025, Oceania’s premier hockey tournament, from 4-7 September, with winners earning a direct ticket to the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026.
Both men’s and women’s competitions feature three-match series between Australia and New Zealand. Teams earn three points for a win and share one point each for a draw. The team with the most points at the end of the series will claim the Oceania Cup title and secure World Cup qualification.
In the women’s tournament, the winner qualifies directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the runner-up heads to the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers. In the men’s tournament, Australia has already qualified via the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24, so a victory by Australia would give New Zealand the World Cup spot as the continent’s representative.
Matches will be held on 4th, 6th, and 7th September, with women’s games played first, followed by the men’s matches on each day.
Road to the 2026 World Cup
For the women’s World Cup 2026, six teams have already qualified: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, USA, and Spain. Continental championships in Africa, Asia, and Oceania will determine three more direct qualifiers, with the remaining teams advancing via the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026.
Teams in the women’s qualifiers include Uruguay, Chile, Canada, Ireland, England, France, Italy, Wales, Scotland, Austria, and Switzerland, with additional spots from the upcoming Asia Cup and the Oceania Cup.
In the men’s World Cup 2026, six teams are already qualified: Belgium, Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Argentina, and Germany. Three more direct spots will be decided via continental championships in Africa and Asia, while the remaining seven places will be filled through the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026. Qualifying teams include USA, Canada, Chile, France, England, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, with additional qualifiers from Asia and Africa.
The Oceania Cup 2025 promises intense competition as Australia and New Zealand battle for continental supremacy and World Cup qualification, setting the stage for a thrilling hockey showdown in Darwin.
