As we count down to the highly anticipated FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026, we take a closer look at the competing men's and women's teams ready to battle for global supremacy. In this special preview series, we profile each nation's journey to the tournament, examining their road to qualification, historic achievements, key players to watch, and the tactical minds leading them into the ultimate hockey showcase. In today’s story we take a look at the Australian men’s team, ranked #4 in the world.

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Chasing a fourth FIH Hockey World Cup title to add to those won at London 1986, New Delhi 2010 and The Hague 2014, Australia arrive at Wavre & Amstelveen 2026 as genuine contenders. Their outstanding performances in the 2025-26 FIH Hockey Pro League offered compelling evidence that the Kookaburras remain one of the world's leading teams.

Champions in 2019 and 2023-24, Australia won nine of their 16 Pro League matches to finish third in the standings, defeating six of their eight opponents at least once. Alongside victories over Pakistan, Spain, Argentina and reigning World and European champions Germany, they also claimed impressive wins against both World Cup co-hosts. The Kookaburras defeated Olympic champions the Netherlands and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallists Belgium in Wavre at the brand-new Belfius Hockey Stadium, one of the venues staging this year's tournament.

Many of the standout performers from that Pro League campaign have been selected for the World Cup. Nathan Ephraums and Jack Welch finished as Australia's joint-leading scorers with six goals apiece, while dynamic forwards Tim Brand and Joel Rintala also made significant contributions with five goals each.

The squad also boasts a wealth of experience. Captain Jeremy Hayward, the oldest player selected, is a penalty-corner specialist and the one remaining player from Australia's World Cup-winning team at The Hague 2014. The 33-year-old – who finished tournament top scorer at the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar & Rourkela, netting nine times – has earned 260 international caps and scored 192 times for the Kookaburras. Prolific striker Blake Govers (179 caps/166 goals) is another centurion, alongside Ephraums, Brand, Tim Howard, Tom Craig, Joshua Beltz and Lachi Sharp.

Nickname: Kookaburras

How they qualified: 1st place – 2023-24 FIH Hockey Pro League
Notable honours: Olympic gold medallists (2004) 4x Olympic silver medallists (1968,

1976, 1992, 2021), 5x Olympic bronze medallists (1964, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012), 3x

FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup winners (1986, 2010, 2014), 2x FIH Hockey Pro League champions (2019, 2023-24), Hockey World League champions (2015, 2017), 15x Champions Trophy winners (1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018), 7x Commonwealth Games gold medallists (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), 13x Oceania Cup champions (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025).

Rank in previous WC editions: 1971 – 8th, 1975 – 5th, 1978 – 3rd, 1982 – 3rd, 1986 – 1st, 1990 – 3rd, 1994 – 3rd, 1998 – 4th, 2002 – 2nd, 2006 – 2nd, 2010 – 1st, 2014 – 1st, 2018 – 3rd, 2023 – 4th

Head coach: Mark Hager. A legendary Kookaburras striker during the 1980s and 1990s, Hager took charge in November 2024 following successful spells with the New Zealand women, whom he guided to Commonwealth Games gold at Gold Coast 2018, and England/Great Britain, helping GB to Olympic bronze at Tokyo 2020. He will now be aiming to add World Cup success to an already distinguished coaching career.

Quote: Head Coach, Mark Hager: “Every World Cup is unique, and earning selection in an Australian team is something every player works incredibly hard for. The group we’ve selected has shown throughout the year that they have the commitment, resilience and quality required to compete on the biggest stage.”

“We’ve built strong depth across the squad, with experienced players who have performed at the highest level alongside exciting younger athletes who have embraced every opportunity in the green and gold.”

“The FIH Pro League gave us valuable opportunities to test ourselves against the world’s best teams, and we’ve continued to grow as a group with every campaign. We’ve been building towards this tournament for a long time.”

“A World Cup is about performing when it matters most. We know the challenge ahead, but we’re excited by what’s possible. This group is hungry, they’re connected, and they’re ready to represent Australia with pride.”

One to watch: Ky Willott. Named Kookaburras Player of the Year in 2025 while also collecting the Players' Player and Goal of the Year awards, the 25-year-old is a commanding presence in midfield who combines tireless work rate with an eye for goal. Since making his debut against Malaysia in April 2022, Willott has scored 25 goals in 88 international appearances and could play a pivotal role in Australia's bid for a fourth FIH Hockey World Cup title.

FIH team / stats page: click here.

Hockey Australia website: www.hockey.org.au
X: @kookaburras Facebook: @TheKookaburras Instagram: hockeyaustraliaofficial

The FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 begins on 15 August, with both men’s and women’s teams in action on opening day across the Netherlands and Belgium. For more information on the competition including the competition format, pools and the complete match schedule, click here.