For other hockey World Cups, see World Cup (hockey) for disambiguation

The World Hockey Cup was first held in 1971. Until then the only major international field hockey tournament available for teams from all over the world was held at the Olympic Games.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) decided a biennial tournament called the World Hockey Cup should be instituted, with qualifying tournaments being held in countries other than the venue of the cup that year.

Later, the FIH decided the World Hockey Cup would be held every four years, beginning in 1982 to ensure all future cups would be held midway between Olympic years. World Hockey Cup competitions are also held for junior men and women as well, one year before the main World Hockey Cup.

The next men’s World Hockey Cup will be held in 2006 in the new National Hockey Stadium in Munchengladbach, Germany , and the women’s, in 2006 in Madrid, Spain. The men’s junior World Hockey Cup will be held in July 2005 in The Netherlands, and the women’s junior World Hockey Cup will be held in September 2005 in Santiago, Chile.

Women's winners

Men’s winners