African Hockey Federation | France triumph in Nations Cup to secure FIH Pro League spot

21 Jun, 2026

France withstood a fierce second-half fightback from South Africa in the final to be crowned FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup champions in front of a sold-out crowd at Hartleyvale Stadium in Cape Town.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand came from a goal down to beat Japan 3-1 and claim the bronze medal.

South Africa 1 – 2 France

After racing into an early lead, France held on for 2-1 victory against a determined South African side to earn the right to play in the FIH Hockey Pro League next season.

Victor Charlet fired France ahead in the fourth minute, his big drag flick finding the corner of the goal beyond the reach of Cullin de Jager’s left foot. Etienne Tynevez doubled their lead four minutes later after receiving the ball completely unmarked a yard in front of De Jager and spinning quickly to flick it into the net. There was plenty of work for De Jager as he made four critical saves to keep his team in contention at the end of the first quarter.

South Africa started to find their feet in the second quarter, but cheap turnovers and a green card denied them the chance to build pressure. Meanwhile, France continued to look composed in possession and threatening on attack, and they carried their comfortable 2-0 lead to the half-time break.

South Africa started the second half with much higher intensity, but tempers boiled over at times, and they paid the price with a yellow card just as they were really starting to threaten. France had an opportunity to stretch their lead while they held the numerical advantage, but De Jager made a good save onto a French foot to clear the danger. The French were showing signs of strain as they conceded circle entries and penalty corners late in the third quarter, but they held on to the mini-break.

The South Africans continued to play at a high tempo, and Dayaan Cassiem fired one over the bar early in the final quarter. Sam Mvimbi finally struck for the hosts with a sizzling reverse strike from an acute angle in the 48^th minute, and they had a penalty corner run down a minute later as they continued to surge forward. Play ebbed and flowed across the pitch as the legs grew heavier and the space started to open up. South Africa earned three penalty corners in the final five minutes, and they sacrificed their goalkeeper to give themselves every chance of finding an equaliser, but the French managed to hang on for the win.

Francois Goyet was named Player of the Match for France and said: “It feels amazing. Credit to South Africa for the great battle and the nice crowd cheering. It was an epic battle. It’s been years that we tried to win it and go to the Pro League, and I think we deserved it at the end”

New Zealand 3 – 1 Japan

Japan enjoyed the perfect start to the game when Yusuke Kawamura snuck the ball through the keeper’s legs from close range in the fourth minute of the match.

Dylan Thomas and Sam Lane combined to create New Zealand’s equaliser, with Thomas working the ball into the circle along the baseline and feeding it to Sam Lane to add the finishing touch in the 27^thminute.

The Black Sticks capitalised after Japan were reduced to 10 players late in the match. A long ball to the top of the circle found Jonty Elmes, who controlled, turned and swept his shot home to put New Zealand ahead in the 52nd minute.

Moments later, James Hickson made absolutely sure of the victory, latching onto a loose bobbling ball and popping it into goal to complete a 3-1 win and secure the bronze medal.

New Zealand’s George Baker was named Player of the Match and said: “In those pool games we were pretty happy with our performances. It was a tough loss yesterday but a really good feeling to bounce back and have an epic fourth quarter in that game, so really proud.

Malaysia 4 – 2 Scotland

Malaysia took the lead in the eighth minute after clumsy defending by Scotland inside the circle resulted in a penalty stroke, which Faizal Saari plugged into the bottom right corner.

The Malaysians then doubled their advantage in the 19^th minute with a swift counterattack, as Akhimullah Anuar set up Abu Kamal Azrai for a diving deflection.

Scotland earned their first penalty corner early in the third quarter and made it count, with Jamie Golden’s drag flick reducing the deficit to 2-1 in the 32^nd minute. Struan Walker then provided a cross for David Nairn, who didn’t connect cleanly but put enough on the ball to beat the keeper for the equaliser. That parity didn’t last long, however, with a goalmouth scramble ending with Anuar adding the finishing touch for Malaysia to regain the lead just a minute later.

Malaysia added a fourth off another penalty stroke, with Azrai doing the honours to seal the 4-2 win and with that, fifth place.

Malaysia’s Mohd Saari was named the Player of the Match and said: “Happy to win this match today. We put in a lot of hard work, which enabled us to get that result and finish fifth. Overall, we need more consistency mentally and physically. Now we will focus on the World Cup.”

United States 1 – 5 Ireland

Ireland took the lead in the 12th minute when Ben Nelson produced a stunning reverse-stick strike into the roof of the net. Alistair Empey then doubled the advantage eight minutes later before Nelson grabbed his second with just over two and a half minutes remaining in the half. Sekayi Charasika pulled one back for the USA from a penalty corner, but Ireland still took a 3-1 lead into the break.

Gregory Williams extended Ireland’s advantage with a penalty-corner drag flick in the 44^th minute, before Matthew Nelson’s devastating strike put the result well beyond doubt two and a half minutes from full-time, sealing a 5-1 victory and seventh place.

Ireland’s Ben Nelson was named Player of the Match and said: “Not the game we wanted to play in, but good to get the result to end the tournament on a little high. Overall, definitely positives to take from this event. We scored quite a lot of goals. But that final third, just really, really being clinical in attack and in defence, just to keep the goals out at the other end.”