England Dominates Hockey Qualifier
England crushed Pakistan 4-1 in the FIH World Cup hockey qualifier, putting them in a strong position for Olympic qualification [https://www.dawn.com/news/1979954/england-outplay-pakistan-in-world-cup-hockey-qualifier-decider]. Meanwhile, Ireland's men's team edged France 2-1 in their World Championships qualifier in Chile [https://x.com/i/status/2030839465904582952]. Ireland's women also triumphed, beating Japan in a shootout [https://x.com/i/status/2030839465904582952].
England's victory took place at the FIH World Cup qualifier in Ismailia, Egypt. England dominated the match, leading 1-0 at halftime and ultimately securing a 4-1 win. Sam Hooper was named player of the match. Pakistan had already secured their place at the World Cup prior to the final, finishing second in the Ismailia event. In the semi-finals, England defeated Malaysia 7-1, while Pakistan edged out Japan 4-3. Japan secured the third direct qualification by defeating Malaysia 5-4. Ireland's men's team secured their World Cup spot by defeating France 2-1 in the final of their qualifier in Santiago, Chile. Greg Williams scored twice for Ireland in the final. Ireland had a perfect record in their qualifiers. The FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 will be held jointly in Wavre, Belgium, and Amstelveen, Netherlands, from August 14-30. 16 teams will compete in the tournament. The hosts, along with the top-ranked teams from the FIH Pro League and the continental champions, receive automatic berths.
