World Championship Outdoor 2026 organisation

Question/Concern

Answer WMH

Matches on sand-turf (non water)

• Negative impact for quality of play and inequality for teams where some matches are played on water and other not
• Higher risks for injuries.

The vast majority of pitches that will be used are water-based. Match schedules will be designed to ensure that use of any other kind of playing surface will be kept to a minimum.

There are fewer friction-based injuries on water-based pitches than on sand-based pitches, but sand-dressed pitches also tend to have a lower number of friction-based injuries. On hot days when the water-based pitches dry too quickly or one or more of the water jets does not work properly, water-based pitches can be worse for friction burns than sand-dressed or sand-based pitches.

Total Match time per match being downsized

• Hardly good match preparation and warming up on the pitch
• Proper line-ups with full teams get squeezed
• No proper cooling down time after the match
• Crowded dug outs when matches change, potential loss of gear
• Shortened timeframes for shoot-outs / penalty stroke; potential taking place not on the match pitch; both unwanted mitigations
• Negative impact for quality of play and inequality for teams where some matches are played on water and other not

Calamities

• No room in schedules for play interruption(s) for handling serious injuries
• No room for mitigation of technical problems with f.i. water/light installations

There is sufficient pitch time at this tournament. Players who train regularly will have good muscle memory and years of on field experience that will be enough for them to be match ready following physically-based warm-ups. Each of the venues has sufficient space for physical warm-ups.

Have you considered that most Dutch players may well have played on the pitches at Rotterdam or Breda before and so will have an advantage over teams from other countries? 

Line-ups are a desire, not a necessity. some do not enjoy the huddles, the line up and anthems (just want to get out on the pitch and play). For those representing their country for the first time, it will be different, but not everyone can be a winner. The pitch times are being planned to try and avoid using floodlights.

Each of the venues have space where warm-downs or cooling sessions can be carried out.

Most dugouts are crowded at the end of matches. We advise to place bags on the pitch side and go out with stick and ball. When the previous teams have left the dugouts, a well-organised team will have delegated someone to put the team bags in the dugout. If all dugouts were designed and built like those in Auckland, there wouldn't be a problem.

Injuries can affect any match timing and we just have to hope that these are few and far between. They are part of hockey life. The reason for the 'shorter' pitch-times, as you describe them, are to provide some breathing space to cope with injuries and keep floodlight use to a minimum. Penalty shoot-outs come much later in the tournament and pitch-times are slightly longer towards the end of the tournament. Very few matches require penalty shoot-outs, but they will take place on the pitch the match was played on. Any technical issues or emergencies would be few and far between, but these will be properly planned for in as far as it is possible to plan for every unwanted crisis. Like injuries, shoot-outs or thunderstorms, any emergencies would impact on the time schedule and matches would be delayed, but such is life and not worth cancelling the whole tournament.

Matches early in the morning

• Potentially artificial light needed, brings down quality of play as well as disturbing equality between all competitors
• Proper match preparation harmed
• Organisation of breakfast at Hotels when kitchen/restaurants are not yet open
• Early breakfast impacting players normal rhythms and physical condition
• Desolated venue harming all sporters’ inspiration
• Operational window for volunteers exceeding proper shift times, need for double shifts and potentially shortage of volunteers/staff/shops salesmen

Matches very late in the afternoon

• Artificial light needed, brings down quality of play as well as disturbing equality between all competitors
• Late dinner impacting players normal rhythms and physical condition
• Desolated venue harming all sporters’ inspiration
• Operational window for volunteers exceeding proper shift times, need for double shifts and potentially shortage of volunteers/staff/shops salesmen

Every team is likely to have an early and a late match at some point.

Masters have played in many international matches under floodlights and the lighting in the early days was nowhere near the quality of modern lights. The lights support WMH's intention to enable as many players as possible to participate. We disagree that floodlights have a significant negative affect on the quality of play. However, if the weather is kind with cloudless skies, we might not need many floodlights for late matches. We know from experience that in Rotterdam lights were need at midday because of very low dark clouds and heavy rain.

If a team is really unprepared in the run up to a WMH tournament, it would not matter the playing surface, the time of day or how good the floodlights were. Players travelling from the far side of the world will fly very long distances from very different time zones. Their normal rhythms and physical conditions will be altered, but they accept that because they want to compete. There is no way they will adjust to the effects of the time differences during the tournament. In 2026, the Europeans and African teams will have the advantage.

Medical/Hygiene

• Capacity for toilets, dressing rooms compared to the #of matches, players, volunteers including regular cleaning results in unhealthy, bad conditions with higher risks for diseases outbreaks
• WMH Medical Committee already expressed their concerns based on experiences in Nottingham and Valencia

These are a number one priority and every aspect is being discussed in detail to ensure that all requirements are met.

The calculations for all the support equipment needed are being carried out and there is sufficient time to address the lessons learned from the past.

The new WMH Medical Committee has been briefed regarding past problems and are tasked with finding solutions for any remaining areas of concern.

Capacity for training for all teams

• Day before the start of tournament only a quarter pitch per team available for on venue final training
• During tournament unavailability of training pitches

We have to say that we have not seen training sessions very often during Masters Hockey tournaments over the last 25 years and very few of them were Dutch teams. Most want to rest and relax between matches.

Matches shifted to other venues

• Hotel accommodations are based on the published venues. Extra travel arrangements need to be funded and organized
• Supporting other matches and own nations teams complications
• Total span of control increases with all kinds of associated problems
• Concerns for downgrading overall Event experience
• Availability of volunteers on new locations clubs/people will feel less for the WC since they are ‘2nd’ choice venues
• Availability of volunteers on new locations in holiday season which is already planned and late campaigning for volunteers
• Risk that at those additional venues matches won’t be included in WC live streaming coverage
• More transportation/travel between sites with negative environmental impact
• More officials/medical/volunteers staff needed with all kinds of negative impact on costs, environment, quality of event
• Tournament information gets more complicated resulting in more stress and chances for errors in lots of ways
• Spectators drop out due to splits
• Merchandising / sponsors shops on the main venue will attract less traffic

Venues being identified as second choice, is an internal Dutch matter / viewpoint and to me local parties should be doing everything they can to make all the Dutch volunteers and officials feel they are important and appreciated.

They are certainly not second choice as far as WMH and the rest of the world is concerned.

All the needs of the volunteers and officials (The President will be one of them - have to be at Rotterdam / Victoria before the first match and after the last match every day) have been taken into consideration. More than enough have signed up and we will ensure that they are not over-worked.

We have never had so many volunteers before. Those with early or late starts will have meals provided for them.

We have experience in playing at a number of Dutch hockey venues. We’ve had some bad experiences on water-based pitches due to weather and technical problems. It is not possible to guarantee perfection in that regard.

Belgium and the Netherlands are amongst the smallest and most densely populated countries on the planet. At peak periods, they have traffic jams where most vehicles carry one person - the driver.  Many participants will take long flights to get to Belgium and the Netherlands. Travel between accommodation and venues is relatively short for 70% of the participants from countries that are far larger than the Benelux countries. The distances between Rotterdam, Breda and Antwerp are not enormous by most participants' life experiences and regular train services will meet the needs of those who want to watch matches at the other venues - no extra pollution. From experience, most Masters Hockey participants tend not to watch other matches.

Local transport is being organised for volunteers and officials and some of us will have cars which can be used.

Parking

• Shortage of parking spots
• Shortage of electric charging stations

This is included in the plans - a lack of electric charging stations is an issue all over the world.

Feedback from players past events (Auckland and Cape Town)

• Tournaments where the venues are not equipped for the number of participating teams results in numerous negative experiences for teams/players/volunteers/referees/officials

We assume that this refers to the comments from the Dutch teams. There were very few negatives from anyone else about Auckland. The issues raised by officials have been addressed.

There were very few complaints from volunteers and most were to do with the way communications were passed to them rather than the tournament organisation.

IMC competitions weaken level A sport and downgrade Masters brand; IMC overcrowding a venue should be prevented in all aspects

All teams suggest to split the A level tournament from the IMC tournament into separate venues/dates

• A level should always be assigned to water pitches
• A level matches need proper per match pitch occupancy time; from preparation, warming up, line-up, match to cooling down
• IMC can be handled by less officials/referees in order to prevent shortage of qualified governance of A level competitions and lower associated costs

Currently IMC competitions are a part of some WMH tournaments. This competition is at an early stage in its lifespan. It will take time to evolve, as was the case with the earliest Masters Hockey tournaments.