Channel 4, the UK free-to-air commercial broadcaster, has acquired the exclusive rights to the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, ensuring it will showcase all matches from the country’s representatives.
Indeed, Channel 4 will broadcast all England, Scotland, and Wales fixtures throughout the men’s and women’s tournaments.
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Coverage will be shown on Channel 4’s sports-focused YouTube Channel, which boasts over 200,000 subscribers.
The tournament will be staged in Wavre, Belgium, and Amstelveen, Netherlands, from August 14 to 30.
This deal capitalizes on Channel 4’s existing rights deal with the hockey governing body, covering the FIH Pro League series, which began in 2024 and will run through 2027.
Rich Beer, chief executive of England Hockey, said: “Increasing the visibility of hockey remains one of our biggest strategic priorities. Over the past two years we have worked hard to ensure that our biggest international events are available free-to-air, allowing both our hockey community and new audiences to experience the excitement of our sport.
“We're proud that Channel 4 continues to believe in hockey and the potential of our sport. Every new viewer helps us build the case for even more free-to-air coverage in the future, and we hope the hockey community gets behind our teams and helps us make this World Cup our biggest audience yet.”
Coverage will begin with Scotland Women’s August 15 game against Germany, the first of 11 group fixtures that Channel 4 will air for free, covering Scotland Women, Wales Men, England Women, and England Men, with the potential for knockout ties increasing that number further.
