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 German men’s team, ranked #5 in the world.

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With four Olympic gold medals, three FIH Hockey World Cup titles and nine European crowns, Germany are one of hockey's true powerhouse nations. Tactically astute and technically superb, Die Honamas have a habit of peaking at the sport's biggest events. That was perfectly illustrated by their magnificent triumph at the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup Bhubaneswar & Rourkela 2023, where they defeated Belgium – their Pool B rivals at World Cup 2026 – in a thrilling final.

Germany have continued to excel on hockey's biggest stages ever since. At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, they came within a shoot-out of winning another gold medal before eventually being denied by the Netherlands. A year later, the two European heavyweights met again in the EuroHockey Championship 2025 final in Mönchengladbach, Germany, where the hosts delighted their supporters by securing a record-extending ninth continental title. It was another gripping encounter that went the distance. Justus Weigand cancelled out Tijmen Reyenga's opener to force yet another shoot-out, before goalkeeper Jean-Paul Danneberg produced a masterclass by conceding just once. Those heroics helped earn him the 2025 FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award, while Weigand, Michel Struthoff, Hannes Müller and Thies Prinz all held their nerve to convert their attempts and secure the title.

Although Germany have consistently reached the podium at Olympic, World Cup and European level, they have found the FIH Hockey Pro League a more unpredictable challenge, finishing sixth, fourth and sixth in the past three editions. They recorded five outright victories in the 2025-26 campaign, defeating Pakistan twice as well as India and Argentina. Justus Weigand finished as the team's leading scorer with six goals, while Benedikt Schwarzhaupt, Malte Hellwig and rising star Jakob Brilla each contributed five. Germany also continued their remarkable rivalry with the Netherlands, claiming another shoot-out victory to earn a bonus point in Rotterdam after the two sides once again could not be separated.

Nickname: Die Honamas

How they qualified: 1st place – 2025 Men’s EuroHockey Championship, Mönchengladbach (GER)

Notable honours: 4x Olympic gold medallists (1972*, 1992, 2008, 2012), 4x Olympic silver medallists (1936, 1984*, 1988*, 2024), 4x Olympic bronze medallists (1928, 1956, 2004, 2016), 3x FIH Men’s World Cup winners (2002, 2006, 2023), 9x Champions Trophy winners (1986*, 1987*, 1988*, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2007, 2014), 9x European champions (1970*, 1978*, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2025) *As West Germany

Rank in previous WC editions: 1971 – 5th, 1973 – 3rd, 1975 – 3rd, 1978 – 4th, 1982 – 2nd, 1986 – 3rd, 1990 – 4th, 1994 – 4th, 1998 – 3rd, 2002 – 1st, 2006 – 1st, 2010 – 2nd, 2014 – 6th, 2018 – 5th, 2023 – 1st

Head coach: André Henning. Named Coach of the Year at the 2023 FIH Hockey Stars Awards, Henning has masterminded Germany's outstanding run of success, guiding Die Honamas to the FIH Hockey World Cup (2023), Olympic silver (2024) and EuroHockey Championship gold (2025). A meticulous tactician, he will leave no stone unturned in his bid to help Germany defend their world title.

Quote: Head Coach, André Henning: "My greatest respect goes to all the players who have dedicated themselves to the team in such an impressive manner over the past few months. We only have 20 spots, but significantly more outstanding candidates and personalities. Everyone has given their all for each other. We have now assembled a World Championship team that possesses a great deal of quality and just as much potential. With an average age of just over 25, we will be one of the youngest teams in the tournament. I am incredibly excited for the five players who will be playing their first major tournament for Germany. At the same time, we have 14 players who have already won titles for us. The combination of hunger and knowledge of how success works will carry this team."

One to watch: Christopher Rühr. One of the most gifted attacking players of his generation, Rühr is a proven match-winner blessed with pace, skill, vision and supreme confidence. Twice named FIH Rising Star of the Year (2013 and 2015), he had scored 143 goals in 210 international appearances at the time of writing.

FIH team / stats page: click here.

DHB Website: click here
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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.