News for 17 February 2026
All the news for Tuesday 17 February 2026
FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 Pools to be revealed on 17 March!
Are you planning to be in Belgium and the Netherlands this August to attend the FIH Hockey World Cup in person and eager to find out where your favourite team will be playing? Or perhaps you are following the World Cup closely, awaiting the Qualifiers to determine the final teams to secure their place at the most prestigious FIH event, and wondering which teams will face each other in the group stage?
Kookaburras announce squad for Block 2 of Hobart Pro League
The Kookaburras have named a strong 24-man squad for Block 2 of the FIH Pro League in Hobart, following an impressive unbeaten opening campaign on home soil.
Consistency a concern after disappointing home games as India makes squad changes for FIH Pro League Hobart leg
The upcoming leg of the tournament will feature India alongside Spain and host Australia.
Uthra Ganesan
File photo: Hardik Singh has been appointed as the captain of the side, replacing Harmanpreet Singh, who is out due to personal reasons. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
India’s disappointing opening home leg of the FIH Pro League has caused concern in the top management of the federation. In a year when the World Cup and the Asian Games are scheduled less than a month apart, with the Pro League as the only competitive outing for the side, losing a quarter of their matches hasn’t gone down well with Hockey India's top brass.
Harmanpreet Singh opts out; Hardik Singh to lead the team in Hobart
India to face hosts Australia and Spain twice each in the Hobart leg of the 2025-26 Pro League season. 
Hardik Singh will lead the Indian side at the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025–26 in Hobart. (Photo credit: Hockey India)
Hockey India on Tuesday announced a 24-member Indian Men's Hockey Team for the Hobart leg of the FIH Men’s Pro League 2025–26, scheduled to take place from February 20-25 at the Tasmania Hockey Centre in Hobart.
Harmanpreet out due to personal reasons; Hardik to lead India in Hobart
The side lost all its four matches in the just-concluded Rourkela leg, which included a shocking 0-8 drubbing at the hands of Argentina
The upcoming leg of the tournament will feature India alongside Spain and hosts Australia at the Tasmania Hockey Centre in Hobart. X@TheHockeyIndia
Mid-fielder Hardik Singh was on Tuesday named captain of the embattled Indian men's hockey team for its FIH Pro League matches in Hobart from February 20 to 25 after regular skipper Harmanpreet Singh was left out "due to personal reasons."
FIH Pro League losses indicate Indian hockey’s problems go beyond scoreline
India’s Pro League results were bad. The performances were worse. A breakdown in basics, fitness and attitude has put Fulton’s team under the microscope.
Uthra Ganesan
India now head to Australia for a Hobart double-header, two games each against Australia and Spain. If Rourkela was a warning, Hobart will be the examination, and India will need to look nothing like the team that unravelled at home. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
Four games, four losses, each worse than the previous one, at a venue that had been hitherto impenetrable, a fortress unconquered. Even by Indian hockey’s traditionally slow-starting standards, this was a beginning to a crucial year that Craig Fulton and his boys would not have anticipated.
A disappointing end to Pakistan hockey team’s Australia tour
LAHORE: The Pakistan national hockey team’s tour of Australia concluded on a sour note, with off-field challenges compounding their winless run in the FIH Pro League.
Pakistan Hockey team hit by accommodation crisis during Australia tour
PHF had initially paid for seven days of lodging in Hobart
By Sohail Imran
An undated picture of the Pakistan hockey team participating in the FIH Pro Hockey League. — FIH
HOBART: The Pakistan national hockey team’s stay in Australia ended on a disappointing note, with players reportedly struggling with significant accommodation issues, sources told Geo News on Monday.
Canberra hotel fiasco: Pakistan Hockey Federation under scrutiny after PSB gives payment proof
The PHF and PSB have been under fire after it came to light that the Pakistan hockey team had to wait for 13-14 hours at Sydney airport, as the federation had not arranged for any accommodation or food for the players and officials.
File - The Pakistan team had to endure a chaotic start to its FIH Pro League campaign after being left without hotel accommodation upon arrival in Canberra, reportedly due to unpaid bills by the PHF. | Photo Credit: M VEDHAN
Under-fire Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has found itself in hot water after the state-run Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) confirmed that it had given the sports body more than 10 million rupees to arrange for hotel accommodation of the national team in Australia.
Hockeyroos announce squad for 2026 FIH Women's World Cup Qualifiers in Chile
Hockey Australia has today announced the 18-athlete Hockeyroos squad set to travel to Chile for the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Speedy Tigresses face uphill battle to break World Cup hoodoo
By Aftar Singh
National coach Nasihin Nubli during the press conference at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Monday. - BERNAMA PIC
KUALA LUMPUR: Expect no miracles.
The national women's hockey team are likely to extend their unwanted streak of never qualifying for the World Cup.
Post deliver Club Trophy gold as Vinnitsa’s epic comeback earns Ukraine promotion
Post SV secured the EuroHockey Indoor Trophy title for men with a 5-3 victory against Iris Hockey Lambersart, earning promotion along with Ukraine following OKS SHVSM Vinnitsa’s second place finish overall.
Bra take gold as Inverleith join Challenge I promotion party
HC Bra completed a perfect weekend as their 5-3 win over Lithuania’s Širvintos saw them take gold in Sofia with a five from five record.
Promotion secured in style by Inverleith in Sofia
INVERLEITH 10 RACA (SLOVAKIA) 1
Prior to the tournament Inverleith coach Stuart Neave stated: “I firmly believe Scottish clubs are capable of playing in a higher division and see it as our responsibility to make that possible for Grove Menzieshill next season.”
Valhalla reach golden promised land with Vantaa Challenge II victory
Valhalla went the distance in an epic final shoot-out to win the men’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Challenge II in Vantaa, eventually getting gold in the third round of sudden death.
Cardiff & Met hail unforgettable experience at Challenge II in Vantaa
Cardiff & Met celebrated a “historic moment” for the club as they won their first ever European indoor participation with gold as they won the final 2-1 over Hungary’s AHC.