The Hockey World Cup 2026 action continues today with four big matches in Amstelveen and Belgium. All four teams in Groups A and C will take the field today with hopes of taking a step towards confirming their top-two finishes.
In Group A, the Netherlands and Argentina, who secured comfortable wins in their campaign openers against New Zealand and Japan, respectively, will take each other on, with the winner almost confirming their top-two finish in the group standings.
Meanwhile, New Zealand and Japan will lock horns, hoping to keep their semi-final bids alive.
On the other hand, the situation in Group C will also be the same, as Australia and Spain will be looking to stay undefeated when they come face to face today after winning their first games of the tournament, while Ireland and South Africa will aim to get their campaigns back on track after ending up on the losing side in their opening matches.
Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026: Today’s Match Schedule
|
Match no. |
Pool |
Teams |
Venue |
Time (IST) |
|
13 |
Pool A |
New Zealand vs Japan |
Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen (NED) |
1:00 PM |
|
14 |
Pool C |
Spain vs Australia |
Belfius Hockey Arena, BEL |
5:30 PM |
|
15 |
Pool C |
Ireland vs South Africa |
Belfius Hockey Arena, BEL |
8:30 PM |
|
16 |
Pool A |
Argentina vs Netherlands |
Wagener Hockey Stadium, Amstelveen (NED) |
9:30 PM |
New Zealand vs Japan
New Zealand will look to bounce back from a heavy 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands when they face Japan in a crucial Pool A encounter. The Black Sticks need a victory to revive their qualification hopes, while Japan will also be chasing their first points after losing 2-1 to Argentina in their opener.
Spain vs Australia
Spain and Australia meet in what could be a key battle for the top spot in Pool C. Both teams opened their campaigns with victories, with Spain overcoming South Africa 3-1 and Australia defeating Ireland by the same scoreline. Spain impressed with an attacking first half against South Africa, with José Basterra scoring twice, but will need greater consistency against a more experienced Australian side.
The Kookaburras, meanwhile, showed their strength from penalty corners against Ireland. With both teams already on three points, another win would put the victor in a commanding position in the pool.
Ireland vs South Africa
Ireland and South Africa face a crucial Pool C clash after both suffered defeats in their opening matches. Ireland went down 3-1 to Australia, conceding three first-half penalty-corner goals before improving after the break. South Africa were beaten 3-1 by Spain despite showing greater attacking intent in the second half. With both teams still searching for their first points, this could be a closely fought encounter where defensive discipline becomes vital.
Ireland will hope their structured approach and penalty-corner threat can unsettle South Africa, while the African side will look to build on their improved second-half showing.
Argentina vs Netherlands
The Netherlands face their second Pool A challenge against Argentina after making an emphatic start with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand. Playing in front of a home crowd at Wagener Stadium, the Dutch will be favourites, but Argentina pose a considerably tougher test.
Los Leones began their campaign with a win over Japan and have several dangerous penalty-corner options, including Tomás Domene. Argentina will need to cope with the Netherlands’ possession game and attacking pressure while making the most of set pieces. A Dutch victory would strengthen their position at the top of Pool A.
Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches: Live telecast and live streaming details
When will the Men’s Hockey World Cup matches begin on August 18?
The 2026 Men’s Hockey World Cup matches on August 18 will begin at 1 PM IST with the Pool A match between New Zealand and Japan.
What will be the venues for the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches?
The Pool A matches of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 in August will be played at Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen, while the two Pool C matches will take place at Belfius Hockey Arena in Belgium.
Where to watch the live telecast of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches in India?
The live telecast of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches will be available on the Star Sports Network for Indian fans.
Where to watch the live streaming of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches in India?
The live streaming of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 August 18 matches will be available on the JioHotstar app and website for Indian fans.
