Why There Are No Traditional Quarter-Finals in 2026
Under the official FIH 2026 tournament structure, the competition replaces single-elimination quarter-finals and crossover playoffs with a comprehensive Second Group Phase (August 21–24, 2026). This guarantees every qualified team plays a minimum of 5 competitive international matches while maintaining the integrity of multi-game qualification.
Pool E (Championship Group 1)
📍 Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen (NED)
Teams: Top 2 from Pool A + Top 2 from Pool D
Top 2 advance to Semi-Finals 🏆
Pool F (Championship Group 2)
📍 Belfius Hockey Arena, Wavre (BEL)
Teams: Top 2 from Pool B + Top 2 from Pool C
Top 2 advance to Semi-Finals 🏆
Pool G (Classification Group 1)
📍 Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen (NED)
Teams: 3rd & 4th from Pool A + 3rd & 4th from Pool D
Playoffs for 9th–16th place 📊
Pool H (Classification Group 2)
📍 Belfius Hockey Arena, Wavre (BEL)
Teams: 3rd & 4th from Pool B + 3rd & 4th from Pool C
Playoffs for 9th–16th place 📊
🛣️ Road to the Semi-Finals & Grand Final
Semi-Final 1 (Match 47)
Winner Pool E vs Runner-up Pool F
Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen
Semi-Final 2 (Match 48)
Winner Pool F vs Runner-up Pool E
Belfius Hockey Arena, Wavre
Frequently Asked Questions — Second Stage & Semi-Finals
Are there Quarter-Finals in the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026?
No. The 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup uses a Second Group Phase (Pools E, F, G, H) from August 21–24 instead of traditional single-elimination quarter-finals. The top two teams from Pools E and F qualify directly for the Semi-Finals.
How are Pools E and F formed in the Second Stage?
Pool E is formed by the top 2 teams from Pool A and Pool D (playing at Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen). Pool F is formed by the top 2 teams from Pool B and Pool C (playing at Belfius Arena, Wavre). Teams carry forward their head-to-head results from the opening phase.
What are Pools G and H?
Pools G and H are the classification pools for teams finishing 3rd and 4th in their opening pools. Pool G (Bottom 2 of A & D) and Pool H (Bottom 2 of B & C) determine the 9th–16th world ranking placements.
When do the Second Stage matches take place?
Second Group Stage matches take place from August 21 to August 24, 2026. Women's classification and Semi-Finals follow on August 27, and Men's on August 28.
How many teams from Pools E & F reach the Semi-Finals?
The top two teams in Pool E and the top two teams in Pool F advance directly to the Semi-Finals (1st E vs 2nd F, and 1st F vs 2nd E).