Black Sticks Men named for Hockey World Cup
- 21 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The New Zealand men's squad for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands next month has been confirmed.
Held from 15–30 August, the tournaments brings together the world's top 16 nations to compete for one of international hockey's most prestigious titles.
LATEST HEADLINES:
New Zealand secured qualification by winning the 2025 Oceania Cup and are drawn into Pool D alongside hosts the Netherlands, Argentina and Japan, with all matches to be played at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarter-finals as New Zealand looks to make its mark at hockey's premier international event.
Head Coach Greg Nicol has selected a mixed squad of experiened internationals and relative newcomers.
Nicol said the group has earned the opportunity to represent New Zealand on hockey's biggest stage and is excited for the challenge ahead.
"Our group of players have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and have earned the opportunity to represent New Zealand on hockey's biggest stage.”
"Over the past 12 months we've continued to grow as a team, building consistency in our performances and developing the style of hockey we want to play against the world's best. This group has shown great commitment to the programme and continues to push each other every day.”
"A World Cup is the ultimate test. Every match presents a different challenge, but we're excited by the opportunity that lies ahead. We know what this group is capable of and we're looking forward to seeing them compete for New Zealand."
The squad will now complete its final preparations before travelling to the Netherlands, where New Zealand will open its World Cup campaign against the host nation in front of what is expected to be a passionate Dutch crowd.
Black Sticks Men's squad:
Aidan Sarikaya, Benji Culhane, Brad Rothwell, Charlie Morrison, Dane Lett, Dom Dixon, Dylan Thomas, Finn Ward, George Baker, Isaac Houlbrooke, James Hickson, Joe Morrison, Kane Russell, Matt Ruetsch, Nic Woods, Ryan Parr, Sam Lane, Scott Boyde, Simon Yorston, Tim Neild.
Men's match schedule (NZT):
vs Netherlands – 17 August, 02:00am
vs Japan – 18 August, 7:30pm
vs Argentina – 20 August, 10:30pm
