Update world championships & qualifiers
Dear hockey players,
As the season gets underway, we’d like to clarify a few things about the new organisation of the world championships and encourage you to take part in the Belgian training camps that will be held this season.
New organisation of the world championships
Unlike in the past, the elite world championships and masters world championships (over 34 years of age) are now organised every 4 years (instead of every 2 years). Access to the world championships is based on qualification at the continental championships, also known as the ‘Qualifiers’ (formerly the ‘European Championships’), which are also held every 4 years. The World Youth Championships (for under-19s and under-24s) are held every two years. There are therefore 3 types of competition:
- World Championships for ‘Youth’ (under 19 and under 24), which take place every 2 years, and can be held anywhere in the world
- ‘Qualifiers’ for elite and Masters (separate categories), held every 4 years in the “Europe + Africa” zone
- ‘Worlds’ for the elite and Masters categories who have qualified at the “Qualifiers”, which take place every 4 years, and can be held anywhere in the world.
| Year | Championship | U19 | U24 | Elite | Masters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Qualifiers | X | X | ||
| 2026 | Youth | X | X | ||
| 2027 | Worlds | X (if qualified) | X (if qualified) | ||
| 2028 | Youth | X | X | ||
| 2029 | Qualifiers | X (if qualified) | X (if qualified) | ||
| 2030 | Youth | X | X | ||
| 2031 | Worlds | X (if qualified) | X (if qualified) |
Unlike the previous organisation:
- There is no longer an international competition (elite and masters categories) every year
- It is therefore no longer possible to take part in the World Championships if the Belgian
teams did not qualify 2 years previously, during the ‘Qualifiers’.
Concerning the next ‘Qualifiers’ in 2025
When will it take place? Competition from 18 to 23 August 2025 (7 days)
Where? Dordrecht, the Netherlands
The first edition of these continental championships will be held from 18 to 23 August 2025, in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. This is an amazing opportunity to create a unique experience, at a relatively low cost compared with previous editions (which took place over 2 weeks and required expensive air travel).
It’s also a chance for your friends and family to attend a competition of this scale for the
first time and come and support the Belgian teams!
Why take part in the courses open to all, the Belgian selection and, why not, the ‘Qualifiers’?
The last time Belgium’s elite teams took part was in Quebec in 2018 and in 2019 for the youth teams in Sheffield. Our Belgian teams were unable to take part in the last World Championships in Australia in 2023, partly because of the high costs involved (mainly in terms of transport).
Participation in the 2025 Qualifiers represents an opportunity to revive the momentum of the national teams and offers a number of advantages:
- Taking part in open training camps (e.g. this Sunday 13/10) and selection camps gives you an opportunity to progress and improve (even if you don’t want to be selected for the national teams). It also helps to raise the overall level of Belgian hockey.
These courses can also serve as preparation for our future youth teams for 2026! - As the competition takes place in Dordrecht, it’s extremely easy to get there (by car) and
transport costs are therefore reduced. Dordrecht is ideally located, just a few hours’ drive away. This is a unique opportunity to take part in an international competition without having to travel long distances or incur high costs. - This edition of the Qualifiers will last only 7 days (during the school holidays) as opposed to two weeks previously. This means you’ll need to take less time off (if you work). For students, it falls during your school holidays and should therefore not interfere with your studies.
- Taking part in the Qualifiers is a unique experience. It’s as much an opportunity to compete against teams of a similar level to ours as it is to test yourself against the best in underwater hockey. It’s an opportunity to gain experience both as part of the national team and personally, so that we can maintain and even improve our level of hockey against other nations that are continuing to make progress.
- After that, the 2027 world championships will ‘perhaps’ be held in France. Another easily accessible opportunity at a lower cost. But this will only happen if our teams qualify in 2025!
If we don’t take part in this edition of the Qualifiers, the next opportunity won’t come until 2029, and may be further away and more expensive… We therefore encourage you to take part in as many of the training camps open to everyone as possible (including the one on Sunday 13 October) and to let us know if you are interested in joining the national teams (whether elite, masters or youth, depending on your age). National team training camps will probably be organised in 2025 to prepare as well as possible for the Qualifiers.
Are you interested? Join the whatsapp group you are interested in or send an email, all information can be found on this page: https://www.belgiumuwh.be/belgian-national-teams/