Las Leonas Aim for Third World Cup Title in 2026 Netherlands-Belgium Tournament

Las Leonas, Argentina's formidable women's national field hockey team, are setting their sights on another World Cup title at the 2026 tournament co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium. The competition begins on August 15 and will feature both men's and women's events.

Argentina, a powerhouse in the sport with previous World Cup victories in 2002 and 2010, and a runner-up finish in 2022, enters the tournament in strong form. However, they face a significant challenge from the top-ranked Dutch team, one of the tournament's hosts.

The team, under the guidance of coach Fernando Ferrara, will begin their campaign in Belgium. They are grouped with the United States, Germany, and Scotland. Their opening match is against the U.S. on August 15, followed by a game against Germany on August 17. Notably, Germany's squad will include former Las Leonas player Lucina von der Heyde. The group stage concludes on August 19 with a match against Scotland.

This year's World Cup introduces a revamped format. Sixteen teams will compete across four groups. The top eight teams will advance to a championship bracket, while those finishing lower will compete for ninth place. The final is scheduled for August 30 in the Netherlands. Key players for Argentina include co-captain María José Granatto, a significant emblem of the team's strength.

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Las Leonas have two World Cup titles to their name, those of Perth 2002 and Rosario 2010.