Men’s and Women’s Hockey World Cups to Feature a New Format

The men’s and women’s Hockey World Cups are set to take place simultaneously in Belgium and the Netherlands with a revamped competition format. The tournament begins with the pool stage from August 15 to 20, with 16 teams divided into four pools of four. Each team will play one match against every other side in its pool, with the results determining the composition of the next stage.

From August 21 to 24, the teams will move into four crossover pools. Pools E and F will consist of the top two teams from Pools A and D, and Pools B and C respectively, while Pools G and H will feature the remaining teams. The top two teams from Pools E and F will qualify directly for the semifinals on August 27 and 28, meaning there will be no quarterfinals. Classification matches will determine positions from fifth to 16th. The women’s final will be played in the Netherlands on August 29, followed by the men’s final in Belgium on August 30, with bronze-medal matches scheduled before the finals.