The Women’s FIH Nations Cup 2026 runs from 15 to 21 June at the North Harbour Hockey Stadium on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Eight nations compete across a week of pool matches, knockouts, and a final. India sit in Pool A with Japan, the United States, and Uruguay.
What Is the FIH Nations Cup
The FIH Nations Cup is an annual international tournament for the top-ranked nations outside the FIH Pro League. It gives teams at the next level a high-quality competitive platform, and the winner earns promotion to the following season’s FIH Pro League, provided they meet FIH participation requirements.
India won the inaugural edition in Valencia, Spain in December 2022. Spain won the second edition on home soil in Terrassa in June 2024. New Zealand claimed the third title in Santiago, Chile in February 2025, beating Ireland on a 4-2 shootout in the final after the match ended 1-1. Auckland 2026 is the fourth edition, with the Black Sticks defending on home turf.
In terms of format, eight teams compete in two pools of four. The top two from each pool advance to the semi-finals. Classification matches fill out the remaining places, with the final and third place play-off on the last day.
What Is at Stake
The Pro League spot is the headline prize. The winner of the Nations Cup earns promotion to replace the team that drops out of the bottom of the Pro League, giving them a season of weekly high-level competition against the world’s best. For nations like India who sit just outside the Pro League, it is the clearest pathway back in.
Beyond the promotion spot, though, the Nations Cup in June 2026 carries extra weight. It is the first of three major tournaments in a compressed window: Nations Cup in June, Women’s World Cup in August, Asian Games in September. Each one feeds into the next. What a team does in Auckland shapes how ready it is when it matters most.
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India’s Perspective
Head coach Sjoerd Marijne has laid out the priority order clearly. The Asian Games in Japan is the primary goal, with a gold medal there meaning direct qualification for the LA 2028 Olympics. The Nations Cup and the World Cup both serve as preparation and measurement along the way.
“The Asian Games is the most important, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to do well in the other tournaments. We will be using the other events to see if we have improved enough,” said Marijne, who previously guided India to second-place finishes at the 2018 Asian Games and the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy.
On the pitch, India head into the Nations Cup on the back of a 2-2 series draw against World No. 2 Argentina, a result that showed the team can compete at the top level but also exposed gaps. Marijne pointed to finishing as the key area to address, noting the team averaged only 10 to 12 circle entries per game on that tour. Nevertheless, he highlighted mental strength and fitness as areas of genuine progress.
“On the mental side of things, we did really well and coped with the level they put us under. Our team has gained experience now and knows they can beat a World No. 2 side. That gives us a lot of confidence,” Marijne said.
(Quotes courtesy: Mid-Day)
India face the United States on the opening day, Japan on day two, and Uruguay on day four. All three pool matches kick off in the early to mid-evening IST window.
FIH Nations Cup Match Schedule (All Times IST)
| Match | Time (IST) | Pool | Teams |
| Monday, 15 June | |||
| 1 | 4:15 PM | A | India v USA |
| 2 | 6:30 PM | A | Japan v Uruguay |
| 3 | 9:15 PM | B | Chile v France |
| 4 | 11:30 PM | B | New Zealand v Korea |
| Tuesday, 16 June | |||
| 5 | 4:15 PM | A | USA v Uruguay |
| 6 | 6:30 PM | A | Japan v India |
| 7 | 9:15 PM | B | Korea v France |
| 8 | 11:30 PM | B | Chile v New Zealand |
| Wednesday, 17 June — Rest Day | |||
| Thursday, 18 June | |||
| 9 | 4:15 PM | A | India v Uruguay |
| 10 | 6:30 PM | A | USA v Japan |
| 11 | 9:15 PM | B | Korea v Chile |
| 12 | 11:30 PM | B | New Zealand v France |
| Friday, 19 June — Rest Day | |||
| Saturday, 20 June — Knockouts | |||
| 13 | 4:30 PM | 5/8 | 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B |
| 14 | 7:00 PM | 5/8 | 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A |
| 15 | 9:30 PM | SF1 | 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B |
| 16 | 12:00 AM+1 | SF2 | 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A |
| Sunday, 21 June — Finals Day | |||
| 17 | 4:30 PM | 7/8 | Loser Match 13 v Loser Match 14 |
| 18 | 7:00 PM | 5/6 | Winner Match 13 v Winner Match 14 |
| 19 | 9:30 PM | 3/4 | Loser SF1 v Loser SF2 |
| 20 | 12:00 AM+1 | Final | Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 |
The FIH Nations Cup is just the start of a huge season for women’s hockey. Several teams in Auckland will meet again at the World Cup in August and the Asian Games in September. Results here matter, but so does what teams learn about each other. For India, every match in Auckland is preparation for a bigger stage. Marijne has been clear about the destination. This is where the journey begins.
Schedule source: Hockey India. All times in IST and subject to change.
Where To Watch
The official broadcast partner for the FIH Women’s Nations Cup 2026 is yet to be announced. All matches will be available to stream on Watch.Hockey, the FIH’s official streaming platform.
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