Netherlands:

It’s time to swap club colors for orange: the national teams are back in action. The FIH Pro League is descending on the Netherlands with a week of top international matches for both the Dutch Women and Men. Wagener Stadium is the setting for a true field hockey marathon with opponents such as Australia, India, Spain, Ireland, China and Argentina. The Orange matches on Saturday can be followed live on NPO1, NOS.nl and in the NOS app. The Netherlands’ other matches will be broadcast online.

Saturday’s Pro League festivities begin with a delicious topper: the Orange Ladies take on Australia at 1:30 p.m. The encounter can be seen live on NPO1, NOS.nl and in the NOS app. Ellen Hoog joins as analyst to share her expertise live from Wagener Stadium. This will be followed at 4 p.m. by the clash between the Dutch men and India, an encounter that always guarantees spectacle. Jaap Stockmann plays the role of on-site analyst for the men.

The next day, the ladies of national coach Raoul Ehren take on the Hockeyroos again. This match can be followed via the livestream on NOS.nl and in the NOS app, with a chance of (partial) broadcast on NPO1. On Whit Monday, the Dutch men will face India for the second time in three days. This game can be followed in full via the livestream on NOS.nl and in the NOS app.

Joosje Burg, Pien Sanders and Pien Dicke celebrate an Orange goal against England. Photo: Worldsportpics

Double confrontations with Spain and Ireland

After a well-deserved day of rest, both teams pick up where they left off. Wednesday, the ladies start against Spain at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men’s game against Ireland at 8 p.m. Thursday immediately follows the return of both duels at the same times (and location). All four matches can be followed live via the stream on NOS.nl and in the NOS app.

The final weekend promises a spectacular end to the Pro League week. Saturday, the women will take on China at 1:30 p.m., while the men will battle Argentina at 4 p.m.. Sunday will see the returns of both games at the same times. In any case, these duels can be followed via the livestream, with the possibility of partial live broadcast on NPO1.

Extensive coverage by field hockey.nl

Field hockey.nl’s reporters will be present in Wagener Stadium during all games to keep fans informed with liveblogs, extensive match reports and interviews with players and staff after the games. You won’t have to miss a moment of the action via OrangeHockey’s Instagram account either!

The Orange Men and their fans at the Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre after the Pro League match against Australia. Photo: Craig Clifford/Worldsportpics

The Orange Men will have to do without Duco Telgenkamp. The striker, who shot Orange to Olympic gold in Paris, will not play in the Pro League for the next few weeks and also already knows he will miss the European Championship. For personal reasons, the 29-time Kampong international is missing from both events. Kampong teammate Jonas de Geus is also missing from the Pro League squad. The midfielder does train with the Orange as part of the recovery from his injury.

There are four ‘new’ faces in the women’s squad: Pam van der Laan (Pinoké), Danique van der Veerdonk (Den Bosch), Maud van den Heuvel and Jip Dicke (both SCHC). Of the four new faces, Pam van der Laan has been part of the Orange squad before. She played two international matches in India in April 2022, as an 18-year-old player of promotion class Huizen.

With new faces among the women and a notable absentee among the men, the run-up to the European Championship has begun for both Orange teams.

Livestreams Orange teams:

Tickets for the FIH Pro League can be purchased here. Both matches on Saturday are sold out.

Dutch fans in Sydney at the Pro League match between Australia and the Netherlands. Photo: Craig Clifford/Worldsportpics