Amsterdam, September 12: The draw for the 2025 EuroHockey Championships took place today where the Ireland Women’s Hockey team found out which pool they would be placed in and whom they would face in the preliminary stages of next year’s competition. The team were drawn in Pool A alongside 2023 Champions and World #1 The Netherlands, World Number #3 Germany, and Olympic hosts and World #19 France.
Pool B will consist of Belgium, England, Spain, and Scotland.
The draw was hosted by International Hockey Commentator and Journalist, Simon Mason, who was joined in studio by Irish International Sarah McAuley and German International Alexander Stadler.
Speaking during the broadcast ahead of next season’s competition, Sarah McAuley said:
“I think it is so exciting coming off the back of such a fantastic summer of hockey. To have something to look forward to already is ecstatic. Monchengladbach hosted a brilliant EuroHockey Championships last Summer, and it’s exciting to get to look forward to returning there again.”
The Ireland Women’s team achieved automatic qualification to the 20th edition of the EuroHockey Championships, which will take place from August 8th – 17th 2025, thanks to their top 6 finish in the Women’s EuroHockey Championship in 2023. Having come third in Pool B, Ireland were placed in the 5th-8th place classification pool where they played a further two games. The team secured 5th place following a 2-2 draw with Spain and a 1-1 draw with Italy, their joint highest ever finishing position in a European Championship.
The competition will be hosted by Germany in SparkassenPark, Monchengladbach. The 9,000-capacity stadium hosted previous EuroHockey Championships, as well as Senior and Junior World Cups.
As well as beginning their preparations for the EuroHockey Championships next year, the Irish Senior Women’s team will also have their sights set on bettering their 2024 Silver Medal when they compete in the 2025 FIH Nations Cup. The Under-21 Women’s team will also compete on the global stage following their qualification for the 2025 Junior World Cup thanks to their 6th place finish in the EuroHockey U21 Championships earlier this year.