Hoci Cymru Road to the World Cup 3: The Final Stretch

Hoci Cymru’s senior men are on the Road to the World Cup.

As we count down the days to the FIH Hockey World Cup this summer, we’ll be joining the journey and taking a peek into the side’s preparatory camps ahead of their opener against India on Saturday 15th August.

We are now on the final stretch. The squad has travelled to their base in the Netherlands. Just two warm-up games stand between the players and their opening FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 fixture against India.

Home preparations were completed at the end of July, as the senior men romped to a 3-0 Test series victory in impressive fashion over Chile in Cardiff.

Across three Test matches and an additional practice game, the squad benefited from valuable high-quality international competition on home soil, allowing them to continue fine-tuning their performances while also preparing physically for the demands of tournament hockey.

The first of the three Tests produced a thunderous performance leading to a 5-1 win, with braces from Jack Pritchard and Gareth Furlong, as well as a Jolyon Morgan goal, sealing a comeback win after Chile’s second-minute opener.

Another 5-1 victory in game two ensured the on-filed dominance continued, as goals from Furlong and Liam Barker put Wales 2-0 up inside three minutes. Rhys Bradshaw added another while Furlong completed a hat-trick, including one in the 60th minute to cancel out Chile’s 58th minute consolation, to seal another comprehensive victory and claim the series.

The men’s Summer Series was eventually capped off by James Tyson’s solitary, 50th minute goal to grab a 1-0 win in the third and final Test, rounding off home preparations in the perfect way by ensuring a 3-0 overall victory in the series in front of a buzzing home crowd.

Following several months of intensive preparation, the squad has now departed for Amsterdam to begin the final phase of their World Cup campaign.

Two final practice matches against New Zealand and Argentina will provide the last opportunity to sharpen performances before Wales open their tournament against India on Saturday 15 August.

"The staff and players have worked incredibly hard over the past few months to prepare as thoroughly as possible for the World Cup,” said Katie Glynn, Hoci Cymru Performance Director. “Competing against quality opposition in Spain and Chile has given the group the opportunity to test themselves technically, tactically and physically, while continuing to fine-tune all aspects of their game ahead of the tournament.

“It has been fantastic to finish home preparations in front of such great support in Cardiff. The backing that the team has received has meant a lot to the group and provided a fitting way to conclude this stage of their preparation. There is a real sense of excitement building amongst both the players and staff, and they are looking forward to arriving in Amsterdam, settling into the environment, adapting to the pitch, and putting the finishing touches on their preparations before the tournament gets underway.”