Scotland claims victory in first-ever FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2
All photos courtesy of FIH and World Sport Pics
Poligras turfs a new stage for emerging nations to rise
Scotland secured the first-ever FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 title with a 4-2 victory over Egypt in the gold medal match, earning them a promotion to the 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup and a chance to progress further to the FIH Hockey Pro League.
The competition unfolded in Oman’s capital, Muscat, from February 17–23, bringing together eight rising nations, those that sit just below the ranks of the FIH Hockey Pro League and FIH Nations Cup.
Scotland, Egypt, Poland, USA, Austria, China, Chile, and host nation Oman battled fiercely across 16 action-packed matches, delivering a thrilling showcase of skill, determination, and world-class hockey.
“With the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 now under its belt, Oman’s state-of-the-art hockey facility, which features two Poligras Paris GT zero pitches, reaffirms its status as a premier destination for the sport.”
For many of these teams, it was a rare chance to shine on the global stage, proving that top-level talent extends far beyond the usual powerhouses.
The creation of this event, which was organised by the Oman Hockey Association and played on Polytan’s Poligras Paris GT zero turf, supports the accessibility of National Hockey Associations to FIH top league tournaments.
Scotland dominates Egypt in final showdown
In the action-packed gold medal match, Scotland dominated Egypt (4-2), with goals from Struan Walker, Jamie Golden, and Austin Thomas. Despite Egypt's late efforts, Scotland maintained control until the end, claiming first place.
Poland’s bronze-medal win goes to shootout
Semi-finalists USA and Poland faced off in the bronze medal match with Poland winning in a 3-1 shoot–out following a tightly contested 2-2 draw in the regulation time. Poland's goalkeeper, Mateusz Popiołkowski, was instrumental in the shootout win.
Austria and Chile victorious
Austria defeated China (3-1) to claim the 5th place match, with Moritz Frey scoring twice to help secure the win. During the 7th place match, Chile edged out Oman in a 2-1 victory with Álvaro Garcia netting the decisive goal.
Congratulations to all eight teams
A huge congratulations to each national team for their high-caliber play, skills and determination through pool play to the medal matches. Struan Walker (SCO), received the player of the match during the final for his outstanding performance while Maksymilian Koperski (POL) earned best player in the battle for third place. Moritz Frey’s (AUT) goal scoring earned him player of the match for the 5th place finish, while Juan Amoroso (CHI) was awarded top player in the 7th place game.
With such quality team and individual performances at play, it was a successful first edition of FIH’s Hockey Nations Cup 2 in Muscat played on the world’s first carbon zero turf.
A global hub for world-class hockey
Muscat, Oman, is no stranger to international hockey, having welcomed the world for the inaugural Hockey5s World Cup in early 2024. Last year’s event made history in sustainability, debuting hockey’s first major tournament on dry turf—Polytan’s Poligras Paris GT zero.
With the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 now under its belt, Oman’s state-of-the-art hockey facility, which features two Poligras Paris GT zero pitches, reaffirms its status as a premier destination for the sport.
A turf built for player and environmental performance
Poligras Paris GT zero uses Turf Glide technology to reduce abrasion, allowing for the speed and skills of high level hockey, with the option to play with minimal to no water. The turf is made with 80% biobased material and has been FIH innovation-certified. It not only saves water but also 73 tonnes of CO2 compared to a conventional turf, ticking both performance and sustainability boxes for the win.
Learn more about Poligras GT zero carbon saves here.