Pool A of the women’s EuroHockey Indoor Championship 2026 in Prague features a series of big guns with Austria and Germany frequent visitors to major semi-finals in recent times.
They are up against a trio of sides looking to break the mould with Belgium both pushing to try and secure their best finish since 1975 and go for a semi-final spot while Ireland are the newcomers, back after 36 years away and keen to make up for lost time.
Find out more about each of the teams here
Pool A team previews
Austria
- World Ranking: 1st
- Appearances: 19
- Best finish: 3rd (1998, 2024)
Overview: Austria’s women’s travel to the European Indoor Championships in Prague as the current world number one and is among the favorites.
After two silver medals at the 2023 and 2025 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2024 European Championships in Berlin, the goal is clearly defined: first, to reach the semi-finals, then to challenge for a medal.
The Red Foxes’ path to the semifinals leads through a challenging group stage with reigning champions Germany considered their toughest opponent. But recent history shows that Austria can upset the favourites: At the 2025 World Championships in Poreč, it was the Austrian team that knocked Germany out of the title race in the semi-finals.
Austria faced three more group opponents – Ireland, Belgium, and Switzerland – at the beginning of January during the international Rohrmax tournament hosted by SV Arminen in Vienna. Victories were achieved against Ireland and Belgium while the match against Switzerland ended in a draw. These results underscore the evenness of the group.
Johanna Buchleitner is the one newcomer to the panel who will be making her capped debut at this event. Otherwise, they have nine of the side that competed in the World Cup last year with experienced goalkeeper Stella Mäntler-Van Rahden also coming in along with Luisa Mayer who was a reserve a year ago.
On the flip side, last year’s captain Fiona Felber is not involved this time around. WAC and AHTC provide a quartet of players while there is a trio based in Germany – Johanna Czech is with Rot-Weiss Köln while Katherina Bauer and Daria Buchta are both with Harvestehuder THC.
Bauer was player of the tournament at last year’s Euro Under-21 indoor tournament in which Austria won gold. Buchta is playing in her sixth Euro indoors and has amassed 28 goals in 41 caps.
It will be Christian Hoffmann’s first time with the side as head coach though he has been with Austria at four previous Euros in other staff roles including assistant coach and manager.
Belgium
- World Ranking: 5th
- Appearances: 6
- Best finish: 3rd (1975, 1977)
Overview: Fueled by a positive dynamic and healthy preparation schedule, Belgium indoor red panthers coach Hugo Benhaiem says his side have a clear target when they hit the board at the women’s EuroHockey Indoor Championship in Prague in January.
“The goal is clear: to win a medal,” he said when announcing the panel. “ The girls are fifth in the world rankings, and we genuinely believe we can win a medal at the European Championships. We have a strong team and a very good dynamic.”
It is something of a new-look panel with six of the side who played in the World Cup in Croatia when they finished in fifth place overall and five of the team which ended in sixth place in the 2024 Euros.
Belgium celebrate a goal at the Röhrmax Cup. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
Marie Ronquetti is the most experienced player, going into her sixth European indoor campaign and, should she play three matches in Prague, will pass the 50-cap mark.
Charlotte Vander Gracht, meanwhile, has been on the indoor international stage for over a decade since the 2015 World Cup and is in line for her fifth Euros.
They are backed up by Romaine Bierlaire, Daphne Gose, Claire Barry, Margaux Coudron and France de Mot who have played in multiple major events in the past three years.
At the other end of the spectrum, there will be debuts for Hélène Delva, Juliette Duquesne and Victoria Liessens. Maureen De Smet and Viviane Dejonghe will vye for the goalkeeping duties.
The selection, which was put together together with Jérémy Gucassoff (assistant coach), was not an easy task, but it did result in a close-knit and motivated group.
Completing the backroom team is Laurine Delforge, adding yet another string to her bow – the Olympic umpire was one of the stars for Belgium on the court at the last Euros in Berlin and captain at the World Cup.
| # | Name | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
| 2 | Maureen DE SMET (GK) | 26 | Wellington | 13 | 0 |
| 6 | France DE MOT | 23 | Waterloo Ducks | 17 | 4 |
| 7 | Charlotte vander GRACHT | 29 | Waterloo Ducks | 33 | 6 |
| 10 | Daphne GOSE-CLAESSENS | 28 | Waterloo Ducks | 17 | 17 |
| 12 | Marie RONQUETTI | 29 | Wellington | 47 | 48 |
| 15 | Romane BIERLAIRE | 26 | Wellington | 18 | 2 |
| 18 | Claire BARRY | 23 | Wellington | 12 | 2 |
| 20 | Margaux COUDRON | 21 | Waterloo Ducks | 12 | 0 |
| 21 | Viviane DEJONGHE (GK) | 18 | Waterloo Ducks | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | Hélène DELVA | 20 | Wellington | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Juliette DUQUESNE | 25 | Wellington | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Victoria LIESSENS DUJARDIN | 18 | Antwerp | 0 | 0 |
| Team Manager | Laurine DELFORGE | ||||
| Head Coach | Hugo BENHAIEM | ||||
| Assistant Coach | Jeremy GUCASSOFF | ||||
| Physio | Marie HOFMAN | ||||
Germany
- World Ranking: 5th
- Appearances: 23
- Best finish: 1st — 17 titles (1975, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022, 2024)
Overview: German women’s indoor coach Erik Koppenhöfer has named a “versatile” panel, a side that features six debutantes, three defending Euro champions and one indoor world champion.
Among those included from 2024 in Berlin are captain Fenja Poppe, goalkeeper Selina Müller, and Pia Lhotak, all of who are going for a third successive title.
Also on the roster for Prague is Julia Sonntag, who became the indoor world champion at the 2018 World Championships in Berlin. Sonntag also boasts 105 international appearances for the German women’s field hockey team and was part of the national team that won silver at the 2025 European Championships in Mönchengladbach last summer.
Fenja Poppoe shoots during last year’s World Cup. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
Charlotte Gerstenhöfer (16) and Benedetta Wenzel (62) have also played international matches for the German women’s field hockey team.
Poppe, Müller, and Lhotak were also part of the indoor national team that suffered a heartbreaking shootout defeat against Austria in the semifinals of the World Indoor Championships in Croatia last January and subsequently finished fourth.
The German team is not only a two-time defending champion, but also the record holder for most European indoor titles with 17 (out of a possible 22).
| # | Name | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
| 5 | Pia LHOTAK | 31 | Düsseldorfer HC | 12 | 1 |
| 6 | Benedetta WENZEL | 28 | Berliner HC | 5 | 3 |
| 9 | Maike SCHEUER | 23 | HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Fenja POPPE © | 31 | Harvestehuder THC | 12 | 2 |
| 14 | Charlotte HENDRIX | 20 | Großflottbeker THGC | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Lisa MAYERHÖFER | 23 | Mannheimer HC | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Julia SONNTAG (GK) | 34 | Rot-Weiss Köln | 9 | 0 |
| 24 | Linda BENS | 23 | Mannheimer HC | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Philine DRUMM | 22 | Berliner HC | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Selina MÜLLER (GK) | 27 | Münchner SC | 14 | 0 |
| 39 | Julie PIEPER | 19 | Harvestehuder THC | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Charlotte GERSTENHÖFER | 26 | Mannheimer HC | 5 | 2 |
| Team Manager | Jana BROMAND | ||||
| Head Coach | Erik KOPPENHÖFER | ||||
| Assistant Coach | Sabine MARKERT | ||||
| Medical Doctor | Bjorn MICHEL | ||||
| Physiotherapist | Andreas PAPENFUß | ||||
Ireland
- World Ranking: 20th
- Appearances: 4
- Best finish: 4th (1987)
Overview: Ireland will play in the top division for the first time in 36 years following their rapid return back up the ranks since taking back up international indoor in 2019. They did have three prior appearances, memorably finishing in fourth place in 1987 but then withdrew from fielding teams in this format.
Since then, they have built a solid cohort of players – primarily from the success of club side Railway Union – with sisters Sarah and Orla Patton and defender Orla Fox almost ever-present since their return. Indeed, Orla Patton and Fox could pass the 50-cap mark this week.
Chloe Brown is the other link to their 2020 EuroHockey Championship III return to tournament action and is their driving force, a key figure for East Grinstead’s success on the English indoor scene.
Chloe Brown will be a key figure for Ireland. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
She has scored 38 times in 36 caps and was player of the tournament when Ireland won promotion two years ago from Championship II in Galway.
On the younger side of things, 17-year-old Hollai Quinn continues her whirlwind year having taken in the Junior World Cup in Chile in December while goalkeeper Chloe Hiles comes into the panel for a potential debut in the absence of Emma Maloney.
As such, Rebecca Spence – originally from Banbridge – will likely be the number one keeper; she is part of the wider Irish outdoor panel at the moment.
In terms of goalscorers, Caroline Spence is one to watch – she has led the Irish charts in an uncapped six-game tour to Malaysia last summer, the Nkosi Cup in December 2024 and also in their warm-up series in December in Lithuania.
| # | Name | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
| 1 | Chloe HILES (GK) | 17 | Railway Union | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Rebecca SPENCE (GK) | 24 | Queens | 4 | 0 |
| 3 | Sarah PATTON © | 29 | Railway Union | 41 | 15 |
| 4 | Laura GRAHAM | 24 | Gordonians | 30 | 7 |
| 5 | Caroline SPENCE | 25 | Reading | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | Hollai QUINN | 17 | Railway Union | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Chloe BROWN | 31 | East Grinstead | 36 | 38 |
| 8 | Katie KIMBER | 22 | Queens | 13 | 0 |
| 9 | Orla FOX | 34 | Railway Union | 47 | 16 |
| 10 | Orla PATTON © | 31 | Railway Union | 46 | 8 |
| 11 | Enya COLLIER | 26 | Sutton Coldfield | 4 | 1 |
| 12 | Jenna MCCARLIE | 23 | Queens | 17 | 6 |
| Team Manager | Rob ABBOTT | ||||
| Stand-In Manager | Gareth MYBURGH | ||||
| Head Coach | Michael FULHAM | ||||
| Physio | Tyron KRITZINGER | ||||
Switzerland
- World Ranking: 16th
- Appearances: 5
- Best finish: 4th (1975)
Overview: Switzerland are looking forward to trying to improve on their 8th place finish in 2024 as they line out in the top tier, their fourth appearance in the last five editions. As such, it is their first sustained run in the elite competition having been on the outside from 1975 to 2018.
They carry a healthy amount of experience through from two years ago in Berlin with eight of the side still in situ. Coming are youngsters Maya Flury (aged 17) and Dunja Härtsch who coach Linda Haussener knows well from overseeing the Swiss Under-21s last year. Both will make their debuts in Prague this year.
All smiles for Switzerland at the Röhrmax Cup. Picture: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics
At the other end of the scale, Raffaela Triebold will make her 50th cap at the event while Sofie Stomps could do the same if she plays six games in the competition.
Stomps is a key figure on the goalscoring front, netting 28 times in 44 caps – in addition to 30 in 47 outdoor caps – and she has been UHC Hamburg’s top scorer in the Bundesliga. She played in Prague in 2018 as a 16-year-old alongside coach Haussener.
Elena Trösch is another firing on that front, scoring 17 times for Rotweiss Wettingen in the Swiss league so far.
Léonor Berlie returns for a second Euro indoors, her previous one in 2014 in Championship II in Lithuania.
| # | Name | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
| 2 | Dorine von OVERBECK (GK) | 26 | Luzerner SC | 8 | 0 |
| 3 | Nele PÖHLER | 21 | HC Ludwigsburg | 9 | 2 |
| 4 | Sofie STOMPS | 24 | UHC Hamburg | 44 | 28 |
| 7 | Carina ZIMMERMANN | 30 | Luzerner SC | 28 | 8 |
| 11 | Stephanie WEBER | 25 | Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles | 20 | 7 |
| 12 | Léonor BERLIE | 28 | Black Boys HC | 5 | 0 |
| 15 | Sarah ZEPF | 28 | Luzerner SC | 23 | 2 |
| 17 | Maya FLURY | 17 | HC Olten | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Elena TRÖSCH | 31 | Rot-Weiss Wettingen | 27 | 10 |
| 21 | Raffaela TRIEBOLD | 31 | Rot-Weiss Wettingen | 49 | 8 |
| 22 | Dunja HÄRTSCH | 20 | UHC Hamburg | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Ursina FAZIS (GK) | 26 | HC Olten | 14 | 0 |
| Team Manager | Christine RÖMER | ||||
| Head Coach | Linda HAUSSENER | ||||
| Assistant Coach | Sebastiaan van der SCHUEREN | ||||
| Physiotherapist | Emilie AUQUIER | ||||
