Ireland women are back on hockey’s biggest stage.
Tonight in Wavre, Gareth Grundie’s side begin their 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup campaign against Spain, the first of three Pool C fixtures that will decide the shape of their tournament.
For Ireland, this is a seventh World Cup appearance and a third in succession. That run began with the unforgettable silver medal in 2018, still the highest World Cup finish by any Irish team in any sport.
Eight years on, Ireland return with a different squad, a different head coach and a fresh opportunity to shape their own tournament.
Ireland, ranked 12th in the world, have been drawn in Pool C alongside Spain, New Zealand and Belgium. They face Spain, ranked sixth, in their opening match at 19:30 Irish time tonight. New Zealand, ranked 10th, follow on August 18 before Ireland complete the pool stage against Belgium, ranked third, on August 20.
Pool C gives Ireland no gentle entry point. Spain bring top-six pedigree. New Zealand are ranked above Ireland. Belgium will have home support and one of the strongest sides in the tournament. The margins will be tight from the first whistle.
That is the level Ireland worked to reach.
Qualification came in dramatic fashion in Santiago. Ireland topped their pool at the World Cup Qualifiers, before a narrow semi-final defeat to Australia meant they had to beat Japan in the bronze medal match to secure their place. Katie Mullan had a last-gasp winner ruled out, but Ireland held their nerve in the shootout, with Elizabeth Murphy making crucial saves to send the team to a third straight World Cup.
Murphy is now one of two goalkeepers named in Grundie’s squad, alongside Holly Micklem. Both helped Ireland through qualification in Chile and both are set for their first opportunity to represent Ireland on one of hockey’s biggest stages. Ayeisha McFerran, the 2018 World Cup silver medallist and Goalkeeper of the Tournament from that run, misses the tournament through injury.
Ireland’s defence includes Roisin Upton, Hannah McLoughlin and Caoimhe Perdue, with Sarah McAuley, Ellen Curran and Lisa Mulcahy also named. Lena Neill, formerly Lena Tice, is included after returning to senior international duty in June following the birth of her daughter Flora in January.
That return adds another human layer to the squad. World Cup campaigns are usually discussed through rankings, formats and fixtures. Inside them are careers moving at different speeds: players returning, players emerging, players carrying past tournament experience, players getting their first chance at this level.
Captain Sarah Hawkshaw will lead the midfield, where Charlotte Beggs, Christina Hamill, Michelle Carey and Mia Jennings are also included. Hamill is five appearances away from reaching 50 senior caps, while Beggs returns to the World Cup stage after making her debut in the competition in 2022.
In attack, Katie Mullan remains one of Ireland’s defining figures. She is joined by Sarah Torrans, Mikayla Power, Aishling Utri, Niamh Carey and Emily Kealy. Utri, a Melbourne native, switched allegiance from Australia to Ireland after joining Railway Union in January.
Grundie said the World Cup carries “a special significance” for the team, and described the tournament as an opportunity for this group to leave a legacy of its own.
“The last few months, between the Qualifiers and the FIH Hockey Pro League, have given us lots of opportunities to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world,” he said. “We have learned first-hand, and also shown the world, that we can go toe-to-toe with these teams, something we intend to continue doing in this World Cup.”
The format has also changed for 2026.
The 16 teams are split into four groups of four. After the first group stage, the top two teams from each pool move into a second group stage. For Ireland, a top-two finish in Pool C would send them into Pool F, where teams from Pools B and C come together. The result already achieved against the team they faced in the first group stage carries into that new group.
From there, the top two in Pools E and F advance to the semi-finals. Teams finishing third and fourth in the opening groups move into classification pools for places nine to 16.
It makes the opening game feel significant straight away. A result against Spain would immediately change the tone of Ireland’s week. A performance would matter too, given the tight turnaround before New Zealand on August 18.
The wider tournament also carries a rare shape. The men’s and women’s World Cups are being staged simultaneously in the same venues for only the third time in the competition’s history. Ireland women and men are both based in Wavre for their Pool C campaigns, with both teams playing on the same matchdays at the Belfius Hockey Arena.
For Ireland women, the story starts tonight.
Spain first. New Zealand next. Belgium after that.
Three games to decide whether Ireland can push into the next phase with the semi-final route still alive.
Ireland Women’s World Cup Fixtures
August 16
Ireland v Spain, 19:30 Irish time
August 18
Ireland v New Zealand, 10:00 Irish time
August 20
Ireland v Belgium, 20:30 Irish time
How To Watch Ireland At The FIH Hockey World Cup
Fans in the Republic of Ireland can watch Ireland’s matches live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player.
Fans in Northern Ireland and abroad can watch live or on demand through Watch.Hockey.
Ireland Women’s Squad
Elizabeth Murphy
Holly Micklem
Roisin Upton
Hannah McLoughlin
Caoimhe Perdue
Lena Neill
Sarah McAuley
Ellen Curran
Lisa Mulcahy
Sarah Hawkshaw
Charlotte Beggs
Michelle Carey
Christina Hamill
Mia Jennings
Katie Mullan
Sarah Torrans
Aishling Utri
Mikayla Power
Niamh Carey
Emily Kealy
