~ As we count down to the highly anticipated FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026, we take a closer look at the competing men's and women's teams ready to battle for global supremacy. In this special preview series, we profile each nation's journey to the tournament, examining their road to qualification, historic achievements, key players to watch, and the tactical minds leading them into the ultimate hockey showcase. In today’s story we take a look at the Ireland men’s team, ranked #10 in the world.
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 07.08.2026) :: After missing out on qualification for the 2023 tournament, Ireland return to the FIH Hockey World Cup thanks to a superb performance at the 2026 FIH Hockey Men's World Cup Qualifier in Santiago, Chile, earlier this year. Outstanding victories over Canada (5-2), Korea (6-1) and Poland (4-1) saw the Green Machine storm into the semi-finals with a perfect record, a level they maintained in the knockout phase.
Two semi-final goals from Jonathan Lynch inspired a commanding 4-0 victory over Wales to secure Ireland's World Cup place, before they rounded off the tournament in style. Penalty-corner specialist Greg Williams scored both goals in a 2-1 final victory over France to complete an outstanding week in Santiago.
That success was followed by a more challenging campaign at the FIH Hockey Men's Nations Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, where a much-changed squad finished seventh. Ireland began brightly with a 3-0 victory over the United States, but a 2-0 defeat to eventual champions France was followed by a 3-3 draw against the hosts. South Africa progressed to the semi-finals on goal difference, leaving Ireland to contest the classification matches. A shoot-out defeat to Scotland consigned them to the seventh-place play-off, where they responded emphatically with a 5-1 victory over the United States. Ben Nelson scored twice, while Ali Empey, Greg Williams and Matt Nelson – elder brother of Ben – were also on target.
The team is captained by key defender Kyle Marshall, while Sean Murray (160+), Lee Cole (150+), Jeremy Duncan (140+), John McKee (130+), Ben Walker (120+), Daragh Walsh (130+) and Matthew Nelson (120+) have all made over 100 international appearances for Ireland.
Nickname: Green Machine
How they qualified: 1st place – 2026 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifier, Santiago (CHI)
Notable honours: Olympic silver medallists (1908), European bronze medallists (2015), 10th place – Rio 2016 Olympic Games, 12th place – FIH Men’s World Cup (1978, 1990), FIH Hockey Nations Cup silver medallists (2022), EuroHockey Championship II gold medallists (2005, 2009, 2023), EuroHockey Championship II silver medallists (2025).
Rank in previous WC editions: 1978 – 12th, 1990 – 12th, 2018 – 14th
Head coach: Mark Tumilty. Appointed in September 2019, former Ireland international Tumilty has guided the team through one of the most successful periods in their recent history. After leading Ireland to only their third Olympic Games appearance at Paris 2024, he has now secured qualification for a fourth FIH Hockey World Cup. Once described as Irish sport's "best-kept secret", Tumilty has built a resilient, hard-working side capable of competing with the world's leading nations.
Quote: Mark Tumilty: “This is a special moment for everyone involved in Irish hockey, especially this group of players. The chance to play at only our fourth FIH Hockey World Cup, against the best teams in the world and on the biggest stage in our sport, is something we’re all looking forward to.
We know what lies ahead will be a tough challenge, and we have great respect for every team in the competition. Although we haven’t played any international matches since the Nations Cup, the players are ready for the opportunity. We’re clear about how we want to play, excited to test ourselves against the world’s best, and proud to represent Ireland at the World Cup.”
One to watch: Sean Murray. The most-capped player in Ireland's current squad, midfielder Sean Murray will compete at his second FIH Hockey World Cup after appearing at Bhubaneswar 2018. He captained Ireland at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and plays his club hockey in Belgium with Gantoise.
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