Co-hosts Belgium won the bronze medal in the Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 after claiming a close 1-0 win over Australia.
While both teams each had two penalty corners in the entire game, Belgium scored the match-winning goal from one. In the 20th minute, Charlotte Englebert scored the solitary goal of the match.
Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 (Bronze Medal Match): Belgium Post-Match Status
Belgium Women won their second World Cup bronze medal, their joint-best Women’s World Cup finish. They first recorded the Women’s World Cup bronze medal in the 1978 edition.
Belgium became the first hosts to secure a bronze medal at the Women’s World Cup.
Belgium became the second European nation to win multiple Women’s World Cup bronze medals, as Germany have also recorded it twice (1974 and 1998). While Australia have also recorded it twice (1983 and 2022), Argentina hold the record for the most Women’s World Cup bronze medals (1978, 2006, and 2014).
Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 (Bronze Medal Match): Australia Post-Match Status
Two-time champions (1994 and 1998) and three-time runners-up (1990, 2006, and 2014), Australia, finished the Women’s World Cup in fourth place for the fourth time, previously recording it in 1981, 2002, and 2018. After Germany (1983, 1994, 2010, 2022), Australia leveled the record for the most Women’s World Cup fourth-place finishes, as both have recorded it four times. There are no other teams that have achieved the Women’s World Cup fourth-place finishing record more than once.
