The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to confirm that Sport Group has completed the installation of the turf at the Belfius Hockey Arena – Belgium’s new national hockey stadium, where the overall stadium construction is well advanced. The stadium, in Wavre near Brussels, will feature half of the matches of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup.
FIH’s Global Supplier Polytan, a member of Sport Group, has manufactured and installed its Poligras hockey turf at the stadium. The same turf will be laid at the Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, the arena that will host the other half of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup matches.
Recently, Polytan supplied and installed Poligras turfs for the 2018, 2022 and 2023 FIH Hockey World Cups, as well as the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, with the Poligras Paris GT zero turf that was developed for Paris being the world’s first carbon-zero hockey turf. Developed for use as a Global category wet turf, it is also certified as an FIH innovation category dry turf.
In total the 2026 edition will mark the tenth time Poligras hockey turf has been used at an FIH Hockey World Cup, and the third time it will be installed at the iconic Wagener Stadium.
FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “We are delighted that Poligras will be the official turf for the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Belgium & Netherlands. Poligras is a surface that has delivered for hockey at the highest level across several Olympic Games and World Cups. Through our collaboration with FIH Global Supplier partners Sport Group (Polytan and AstroTurf), we continue to provide high-quality hockey places to play worldwide, enhancing the experience for both athletes and fans alike.”
Fred van Wijk, International Sales Director, Polytan added: “Our history with hockey goes back to the first synthetic hockey turfs in the mid-1970s. That gives us 50 years of R&D, manufacturing, and installation experience, including 11 Olympic Games. This depth of knowledge gives us a unique understanding of the sport, and it is rewarding to have our turf recognized as the best, especially in The Netherlands, where hockey is so important. Our Poligras Paris 2024 turf proved that carbon-zero sustainability can be achieved without compromising elite performance. Looking ahead to the LA 2028 Olympics, we continue to invest in reducing water use and carbon impact while ensuring our hockey turf performs at the highest Olympic level.”
