Belgium’s men missed the chance to clinch the FIH Hockey Pro League title on Thursday after suffering their first regulation-time defeat of the season.

The 2-1 loss at the hands of Australia means they can still be caught at the top of the table, as England kept their hopes alive with a shootout win over India.

The other men’s result of the day saw Germany’s men edging Spain in a shootout, and the German women had plenty to celebrate after their 2-1 win over China ensured their safety from the relegation zone.

In the other women’s matches, England claimed an important extra point with a shootout win over Argentina, while the already-confirmed champions, the Netherlands, secured an emphatic 4-1 win over Belgium.

(Women’s) Germany 2 – 1 China

Germany held their nerve in front of their home fans to claim an important 2-1 win over China and lift them out of the relegation zone.

After China’s first penalty corner was deflected over the goal, Germany found the breakthrough in the 12^th minute. Sophia Schwabe received a long pass inside the circle and fired in a tomahawk that snuck in at the near post for the 1-0 lead.

The Germans enjoyed more possession as the half wore on, but both teams were guilty of giving the ball away too easily, leading to few opportunities on goal.

Germany’s second goal came from the third phase of a recycled penalty corner. Felicia Wiedermann added the finishing touch on the line when the ball popped through behind the keeper.

After a stronger second-half performance, China pulled one back when the ball was played in beautifully for Yun Anhui to add a diving deflection and poke it over the keeper in the 50^th minute.

The Chinese pulled off their goalkeeper for the final five minutes of the match in search of the equaliser, but they weren’t able to change the outcome as Germany wrapped up the 2-1 win.

Felicia Wiedermann was named Player of the Match for Germany and said: “Actually we are very happy because we knew China is a very tough opponent to play and it’s so hot today. It was a very tough game so we are very happy with the win.”

(Women’s) England 0 – 0 Argentina (SO: 4 – 2)

England survived a torrid fourth quarter to hang on for a 0-0 draw with Argentina, and then stepped up to win the shootout for two vital points in their relegation battle with Ireland and Australia.

Time is running out for England to secure their spot in the next edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League and they started with serious intent. They created the best opportunities in a goalless first half and Cristina Cosentino had to make three good saves in Argentina’s goal to keep it 0-0 at half-time.

Both teams were struggling to sustain pressure with fast, direct hockey being coupled with a high error rate. England, in particular, were guilty of turning over possession too easily in dangerous areas of the pitch and Argentina started to take control in the third quarter. Lara Casas thought she had beaten Miriam Pritchard to give Argentina the lead in the 45^th minute, but despite her quick reflexes to collect the PC rebound off the pads, she made contact with the back of her stick.

Argentina found extra legs in the fourth quarter and did all of the attacking, including earning six penalty corners. Pritchard made a great double save at the start when her defence turned over possession too easily, and another from Agustina Gorzelany’s huge drag flick in the 53^rd minute. England managed just one attack in the final two minutes, but they came away empty-handed. The match then went to a shootout, where England held their nerve to clinch it 4-3.

Miriam Pritchard was named Player of the Match for England and said: “We’ve been in the trenches, we haven’t got the results the last few weeks, and actually we’ve stuck together as a group, we ground it out, a good two points there, and I’m just really proud of everyone.”

(Women’s) Belgium 1 – 4 Netherlands

Belgium started brightly but ultimately succumbed 4-1 to champions, the Netherlands, in Wavre.

The Belgians earned an early penalty corner, and while they couldn’t convert, they continued to dominate throughout the opening quarter, pressing high and winning plenty of ball, but just not finding the breakthrough.

Despite continued Belgian dominance at the start of the second quarter, it was the Netherlands who scored first when the prolific Yibbi Jansen planted her rocketed flick from a penalty corner in the bottom right corner.

Louise Devaet had an excellent opportunity to level the scores a few minutes from half time, but her shot hit the post. The Dutch then gained more control as the clock ticked down. Frederique Matla plugged one in off another Dutch penalty corner, but the shot was deemed too high. And Elodie Picard then did well to keep out several more shots on goal, with the Dutch remaining 1-0 up at the break.

A defensive error cost Belgium at the start of the third quarter as the ball fell to Fay van der Elst, who crossed to Pien Dicke on the far post for the tap-in to put her side 2-0 up.

Just 16 seconds into the final quarter, the Belgian defence were caught napping as an unmarked Dicke also put in the Netherlands’ third goal. A great run from Freeke Moes then saw her beat four Belgian defenders to fire in the Netherlands’ fourth just five minutes later.

There was some consolation when Stephanie Vanden Borre scored from a penalty corner in the 58^th minute, but it was too little too late for the home side.

The Netherlands’ Luna Fokke was named the Player of the Match and said: “I don’t know, I think in the first quarter we were a different team to the other three quarters. We need to watch that back. I think it’s a bad start and we can do better.”

(Men’s) England 2 – 2 India (SO: 4-1)

England and India played out a compelling 2-2 draw before the English claimed the extra point in the shootout to keep their Pro League title chase alive.

A James Mazarelo save from an early Indian penalty corner set the tone for an entertaining end-to-end opening quarter. India took the lead through a superb team move, as Mandeep Singh fed the ball through for Dilpreet Singh to produce a sensational diving finish into the roof of the net in the 10th minute.

Sam Ward thought he had levelled the scores from a penalty corner with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter, but a video review revealed the ball had not left the circle, allowing India to carry their advantage into the first break.

England finally found the equaliser in the 29th minute when a ball into the circle deflected high off an Indian stick, and a composed David Goodfield volleyed it down into the goal to send the teams into half-time locked at 1-1.

The Indians looked to be gaining the upper hand towards the end of the third quarter, creating several chances to break the deadlock, but the English kept them out, meaning there was all to play for in the final period.

Several important saves from Suraj Karkera kept India in the match, but with England piling on more pressure in the closing minutes, they finally breached the Indian defence through a Nick Bandurak penalty corner flick in the 56^th minute.

India pulled off their keeper with two and a half minutes remaining, and the move paid off immediately with Dilpreet firing in his second to level things up and eventually take the match to the shootout.

England’s Tom Sorsby was named the Player of the Match and said: “It’s really nice to win the shootout, but obviously we’d have hoped that we could just win the game outright… We did well after maybe not the best first quarter to then dominate some phases, and unfortunately didn’t close it out, but we’re thankful to win the shootout.”

(Men’s) Germany 3 – 3 Spain (SO: 3 – 1)

Germany came from behind twice in their hotly contested 3-3 draw with Spain before going on to win the shootout 3-1.

The Germans controlled possession and territory well in the opening quarter, and they had a goal disallowed for a touch off the back of the stick. Spain were creating the better chances, though, and Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji made an excellent double save to deny them before they eventually took the lead. It was a lovely play along the baseline that teed up Bruno Font for his big crack in the 13^th minute. Rafael Revilla made two fine saves in the second quarter to deny Germany, and Marc Miralles struck the woodwork with a penalty stroke for Spain on the stroke of half-time with his team leading 1-0.

The Germans bossed the start of the third quarter and they were rewarded in the 36^th minute, Linus Müller scrambling the ball over the line from a recycled penalty corner to level the scores. Guillermo Fortuño restored Spain’s lead in the 46th minute while his team were a man short, dispossessing the Germans in his own half and outrunning the scrambling defence to beat the keeper.

Tom Grambusch equalised for Germany again with a drag flick in the 50^th and the game was poised for a thrilling finish. Benedikt Schwarzhaupt then edged Germany ahead from a messy penalty corner routine, stopping the ball for himself and pulling it into the circle to execute a perfectly placed drag flick. It looked all over, but Spain somehow conjured a penalty corner from long range with just 13 seconds remaining. Pepe Cunill fired the drag flick home to force a shootout, where Germany came out on top.

Linus Müller of Germany was named the Player of the Match and said: “We played a pretty good first half and then we conceded an unlucky goal and (the equaliser at 1-1) was a bit of a momentum changer for us to get back into the game, and I’m happy I could help the team.”

(Men’s) Belgium 1– 2 Australia

Australia fought back for a notable 2-1 victory over Belgium, ending the Belgians’ impressive unbeaten FIH Hockey Pro League run since 22 June 2025.

There were really good chances at both ends of the pitch in the opening minutes, and Australian goalkeeper Ash Thomas got his angles absolutely right to deny Tom Boon late in the first quarter. The Belgians had much higher quality chances through the second quarter, and Thomas had to work hard to keep it 0-0 at half-time.

Boon then broke the deadlock in the 32^nd minute with a piece of individual brilliance, popping the ball up near the p-spot and then immediately dinking it over the goalkeeper with the second touch.

The Kookaburras earned a flurry of penalty corners and Jack Welch finally equalised from their sixth with a huge drag flick. Nathan Epraums then got the last touch from a well-worked penalty corner variation to give Australia the lead with 10 minutes remaining and the game opened up as Belgium chased a result. There were no more goals though and Belgium tasted defeat for the first time in this season’s competition.

The Player of the Match was awarded to Australia’s Ash Thomas, who said: “Once again, just a great effort from the team, from the boys out there. I’m just so proud and so happy we got the result at the end of the day. We like this turf as well, it’s very nice, it plays very well, we have a good record here so far, so hopefully we can keep that going.”

Current Hero Top Scorers:

Women – Yibbi Jansen (NED) (13 goals)

Men – Tomas Domene (ARG) (17 goals)

To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Pro League, click here.

FIH Hockey Pro League – 25 June 2026

Ernst Reuter Sportfeld, Berlin (GER)

Women

Result: Match 62 (W)

Germany 2 – 1 China

Player of the match: Felicia Wiedermann (GER)

Umpires: Laurine Delforge (BEL), Jonathan von Hoesslin (RSA), Yoon Seon Kim (KOR-video)

Men

Result: Match 62 (M)

Germany 3 – 3 Spain (SO: 3-1)

Player of the match: Linus Müller (GER)

Umpires: Timothy Sheahan (AUS), Steven Bakker (NED), Yoon Seon Kim (KOR-video)

Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, London (UK)

Women

Result: Match 61 (W)

England 0 – 0 Argentina (SO: 4-2)

Player of the match: Miriam Pritchard (ENG)

Umpires: Sophie Bockelmann (GER), Junko Wagatsuma (JPN), Hong-Zhen Lim (SGP-video)

Men

Result: Match 61 (M)

England 2 – 2 India (SO: 4-1)

Player of the match: Tom Sorsby (ENG)

Umpires: Coen van Bunge (NED), Sarah Wilson (SCO), Magali Sergeant (BEL-video)

Belfius Hockey Area, Wavre (BEL)

Women

Result: Match 63 (W)

Belgium 1 – 4 Netherlands

Player of the match: Luna Fokke (NED)

Umpires: Cookie Tan (SGP), Rachel Williams (ENG), Darren Hubach (RSA-video)

Men

Result: Match 63 (M)

Belgium 1 – 2 Australia

Player of the match: Ash Thomas (AUS)

Umpires: Gareth Greenfield (NZL), Raphael Adrien (GER), Hannah Harrison (ENG-video)