New season begins December 8 in Argentina; India to host matches February 13-28
New Delhi, August 6, 2026 — India’s women’s hockey team and France’s men’s team are heading back into the FIH Pro Hockey League fold. Both sides punched their tickets by winning the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, earning a return to the elite competition when the new 2026-27 season gets underway on December 8, 2026.
India’s men’s team, for its part, doesn’t need any such qualification route — a solid eighth-place finish in the 2025-26 Pro League was enough to lock in their place for the upcoming edition. Altogether, the new season will feature a packed calendar of 144 matches, with the world’s leading hockey nations competing for the title.
The action kicks off in Argentina, where matches will be played from December 8-13, 2026. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed the schedule on Wednesday at its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. India’s home leg of the tournament is set for February 13-28, 2027, and will see the hosts take on Argentina, Germany, Great Britain and Spain.
Speaking about the announcement, FIH President Tayyab Ikram said the Pro League has built a reputation for delivering some of the finest hockey on the international calendar, with star players turning out for their countries week after week. He said he was pleased to welcome the Indian women’s and French men’s teams back into the fold, adding that their return would only heighten the excitement around this season. Ikram also thanked national federations, players, host cities, commercial partners, broadcasters and fans for helping turn the Pro League into what he called a genuine “league of champions,” and wished all the competing teams well for the campaign ahead.
The tournament’s opening leg in Argentina will feature the women’s sides of Argentina and China, alongside the men’s teams of Great Britain and France — setting the tone for what is shaping up to be a tightly fought season where every point could prove decisive. Hockey followers can expect the usual mix of pace, flair and drama as Olympic, World Cup and continental champions go head-to-head across the calendar.
For India’s women and France’s men, the Pro League return marks a fresh opportunity to test themselves against the sport’s best and add new highlights to their respective hockey stories. Their comeback is expected to sharpen the competition further in what was already shaping up to be one of the most closely contested Pro League seasons yet.
Full schedule — FIH Pro Hockey League 2026-27:
| Leg | Venue | Dates | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina (venue TBC) | Dec 8-13, 2026 | Women: Argentina, China · Men: Great Britain, France |
| 2 | Valencia, Spain | Dec 14-22, 2026 | Spain, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands |
| 3 | Argentina (venue TBC) | Feb 9-14, 2027 | Women: Argentina, India, Germany |
| 4 | India (venue TBC) | Feb 13-28, 2027 | Men: India, Argentina, Germany, Great Britain, Spain |
| 5 | Gold Coast, Australia | Feb 13-21, 2027 | Women: Australia, Belgium, China · Men: France, Netherlands |
| 6 | Wavre, Belgium | Jun 12-27, 2027 | Belgium, Argentina, Australia, China (W), Great Britain, India, Spain |
| 7 | Berlin & venue TBC, Germany | Jun 12-27, 2027 | Germany, Australia, China (W), Great Britain, India, France (M) |
| 8 | Netherlands (venue TBC) | Jun 15-27, 2027 | Netherlands, Argentina, Great Britain, India, Spain |
