As we inch ever closer to the start of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2025-26 season on 9 December, we are excited to bring you an exclusive pre-season interview series with players and coaches from the world’s top hockey nations participating in the “League of the Best”.
This series will dive into the minds of the sport’s finest athletes and coaches, uncovering their thoughts on the upcoming season, personal goals, and the strategies their teams are crafting to compete at the highest level. From seasoned veterans to rising stars, these interviews provide a unique glimpse into the passion, preparation, and drive that fuel the teams vying for glory.
In today’s interview we speak with Rein van Eijk, coach of the Belgium women’s hockey team…
What are the Red Panthers’ ambitions for this new FI Hockey Pro League season?
We want to stay in contention for the top spots as long as possible and try to improve our 2024-2025 campaign. We hope to develop our way of play further and gain traction towards the summer of 2026, winning over fans and building even more excitement within our onward ranks for the summer of 2026. “:false,”134233118″:false,”335559738″:240,”335559739”:240}”=””>
In this World Cup year, what does the FIH Hockey Pro League represent for the team?
The Pro League is more than just the best possible preparation for the upcoming World Cup at home, but also a great event to showcase the growth that we as a team are going through. The Pro League enables us to win more fans at home, whose support we hope to be welcoming at the World Cup as well. With the excitement for the World Cup being very high already, we can’t wait to compete internationally again, but we are even more eager to do so in our home leg in 2026, playing at the World Cup Venue for the first time. “:false,”134233118″:false,”335559738″:240,”335559739”:240}”=””>
Are you already looking ahead to qualification for LA28?
We are very enthusiastic about the possibility to qualify for LA28 through the Pro League as well. We hope to stay in contention for the top spots as long as possible. If we end up being able to potentially play for Olympic qualification we are going to give it our all to achieve this as quickly as possible. “:false,”134233118″:false,”335559738″:240,”335559739”:240}”=””>
How has the team prepared for this new season?
After a thorough analysis of the European Championships, we are very deliberate in building a base that will enable us to perform to the best of our capabilities as a team. We are back to working on us and focusing on the topics we want to develop after a European Championship without a loss in regulation, but that was disappointing from a result perspective.“:false,”134233118″:false,”335559738″:240,”335559739”:240}”=””>
