21 Nov, 2025 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 FIH Player of the Year awards: Women’s Player of the Year: Xan de Waard (NED) Men’s Player of the Year: Tom Boon (BEL) 2024 Women’s Player of the Year – Xan de Waard (NED) Xan de Waard delivered yet another outstanding campaign for the Netherlands, blending vision, technical precision and leadership at the highest level. Her pivotal contributions and consistent clutch performances throughout the FIH Hockey Pro League season and the EuroHockey Championships, both of which ended in triumphs for the world number one Dutch side, have reinforced her status as one of the world’s premier midfield talents. Key highlights of her year include a commanding role in the Netherlands’ success at the European Championship, where her incisive passing continued to be the connective tissue of the offence, while her tireless defensive work-rate contributed heavily to the best defence in the competition, as the Dutch side won a record-extending 13th title at the continental competition! She was also a standout presence in the FIH Hockey Pro League, consistently delivering against elite opposition, and as the captain, drove her team’s momentum and success. Under her stewardship the Dutch women’s side picked up their fifth Pro League title in six seasons of the competition’s history, finishing the season eight points clear of the second placed Argentina. Her rare combination of creative spark and disciplined execution, make her an instrumental figure in the dominant Dutch side’s tactical identity and consistently impressive results. For her elite standard of play, decisive leadership and unwavering consistency across the global stage, Xan de Waard is a deserving recipient of the FIH Player of the Year Award. Men’s Player of the Year – Tom Boon (BEL) Over the past year, Tom Boon once again showed why he remains one of the most dangerous forwards in international hockey. With a blend of razor-sharp goal-scoring instincts and the ability to deliver in the big moments, he has been central to Belgium’s success for over a decade! Boon was in rampant goal-scoring form during the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024/25 season. Mid-way through the season there were multiple players vying for the top-scorer title, but Boon’s second half burst left his competitors in the dust, as he ended the season with 21 goals, 9 clear of Sam Ward in second place! His goals and assists proved decisive in Belgium finishing second in the competition, which matched their best result in the competition since winning the title in season two. Tom Boon’s goalscoring exploits continued in the EuroHockey Championship 2025, where he finished second on the top-scorers list of the competition. And while Belgium failed to secure a fifth consecutive podium finish in Europe’s premier competition, Boon’s scoring stick continued to function on overdrive. Tom Boon’s leadership presence through both seasoned experience and present-day impact anchors Belgium’s attacking ambitions and competitive edge on the world stage. His pivotal role in Belgium’s performance and enduring standard of excellence make him a worthy recipient of the FIH Player of the Year Award.

20 Nov, 2025 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to announce the recipients of the FIH Goalkeepers of the Year 2025 awards: Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Grace O’Hanlon (NZL) Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Jean‑Paul Danneberg (GER) Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year – Grace O’Hanlon (NZL) Grace O’Hanlon delivered a remarkable 2024-25 season between the posts for the New Zealand Women’s hockey team. Her standout performances in two major tournaments played a key role in the Black Sticks’ resurgence in international hockey and earned her this prestigious accolade. At the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Chile 2024-25, Grace proved to be one of the best players of the tournament: her shot-stopping, composure in high-pressure moments and consistent reliability helped New Zealand claim the title. Her performance especially stood out in the semi-final and the final, as both matches went into the shoot-outs, where O’Hanlon saved more attempts than she let in, to help New Zealand climb the top step of the podium! At the Oceania Cup, O’Hanlon was instrumental in guiding New Zealand to victory over neighbours Australia, securing top-place in the tournament and thereby booking a berth at the upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium & Netherlands 2026. Her reflexes in the goal and leadership from the back created a foundation for the team’s success in that decisive moment. Across both events, O’Hanlon staked her claim as one of the world’s elite goalkeepers, with her form providing the springboard for her team’s momentum into the World Cup cycle. For these efforts, and the clear impact she has had on her team’s key successes, Grace O’Hanlon is a worthy recipient of the FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year – Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER) Jean-Paul Danneberg has enjoyed another season of excellence for the German Men’s Hockey Team, demonstrating that goalkeepers can be match-winners in their own right. During the EuroHockey Championships, Germany lifted the trophy in dramatic fashion — a victory sealed in shoot-outs in which Danneberg played a starring role. His composure and ability to make saves in the biggest pressure moments were pivotal both in winning gold and securing qualification for the coming World Cup. Alongside his continental triumph, Danneberg’s performances in the FIH Hockey Pro League also underlined his class. Week after week, he faced world-class opposition, commanding his circle, orchestrating defence, and producing momentum-shifting saves with consistency. His level of performance across the major events has marked him out as the premier goalkeeper in the world this season. With his elite performances between the sticks directly influencing Germany’s success, Jean-Paul Danneberg is a fitting recipient of the FIH Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Source: FIH.hockey

13 Nov, 2025 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to announce a strategic partnership with leading global sports marketing agency SPORTFIVE. As part of this partnership, SPORTFIVE will serve as a key Commercial Partner for FIH, supporting FIH’s mission to elevate the sport‘s global visibility and secure brand partnerships across major markets including the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom. This partnership will debut with FIH’s most prestigious event, the FIH Hockey World Cup, taking place from 15 to 30 August 2026 in Belgium and the Netherlands. Beyond the World Cup, SPORTFIVE will also work with FIH across its wider international portfolio of major events and tournaments, including the FIH Hockey Pro League and innovative formats such as the FIH Hockey5s World Cup, ensuring SPORTFIVE plays a central role in shaping the commercial future of one of the world’s most inclusive and fast-growing Olympic sports. FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “As hockey’s world governing body, our primary mission is to develop the sport globally. This would not be possible without the invaluable support of commercial partners who are steadfastly committed to us and share the values of our sport. We are confident that SPORTFIVE’s support will enable us to elevate hockey to the next level and are looking forward to a fruitful collaboration.” “We’re proud to partner with FIH, starting with the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 as the most prestigious event of FIH. Hockey has a passionate global following, and we see tremendous potential to connect brands with fans in meaningful ways. This is just the beginning of what we believe will be a dynamic and enduring relationship,” said Robert Müller von Vultejus, Chief Growth Officer, SPORTFIVE. “Partnering with FIH for the 2026 World Cup allows us to tap into the energy of hockey’s global fanbase while delivering tailored brand solutions across diverse markets. We’re committed to building momentum not just for this event, but for the sport’s long-term commercial growth,” added Venu Nair, Managing Director South Asia & Middle East, SPORTFIVE. This partnership marks the start of a new era for international hockey, combining SPORTFIVE’s global network and sports marketing expertise with FIH’s vision to promote hockey as a sport that is Olympic, inclusive, and truly global. Source: FIH.hockey

06 Nov, 2025 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is glad to announce that the following 12 top hockey athletes have been shortlisted for the FIH Best Player and the FIH Best Goalkeeper of the Year Awards: FIH Player of the Year Award – Nominees: Women: Xan de Waard (NED), Alix Gerniers (BEL), Li Hong (CHN) Men: Tom Boon (BEL), Nicolás Della Torre (ARG), Thierry Brinkman (NED) FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award – Nominees: Women: Anne Veenendaal (NED), Liu Ping (CHN), Grace O’Hanlon (NZL) Men: James Mazarelo (ENG), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG) The list of nominees was established by an Expert Panel* composed of players, coaches and tv commentators selected by the FIH. The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2025, including Test Matches, Continental Championships, FIH Hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 before establishing the final list of nominees. The voting process is now open! National Associations – represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches -, fans, players, coaches, officials and media can register their vote until 16 November. Fans can vote for their favourite players here. Only one vote per Award is accepted. *Expert Panel: Tsoanelo Pholo (RSA) Moses Kagochi (KEN) PR Sreejesh (IND) Rani Rampal (IND) Yuri Nagai (JPN) Simon Mason (ENG) Ashley Morrison (AUS) Shea Mcaleese (NZL) Tahir Zaman (PAK) Colin Batch (AUS) Camila Caram (CHI) Luciana Aymar (ARG) List of Awards: FIH Player of the Year (Women and Men) FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (Women and Men) FIH Coach of the Year (Women and Men)** FIH Umpire of the Year (Women and Men)*** FIH Rising Star of the Year (Women and Men)**** ** Not for vote – The Expert Panel will decide the winners of the FIH Coach of the Year Awards *** Not for vote – The FIH Umpiring Committee will decide the winners of the FIH Umpire of the Year Awards ****Not for vote – The Best Player of the upcoming FIH Hockey Junior World Cups, women and men, will win the FIH Rising Star Award this year Source: FIH.hockey