Online Reporter
Don Makanyanga
Zimpapers Sports Hub
Zimbabwe’s national hockey teams for over-40 and over-50 men’s have received a boost ahead of the 2026 World Masters Hockey World Cup.
Netherlands Ambassador to Zimbabwe Matthijs van Hofwegen hosted the teams for an official send off dinner in Harare last Thursday.
The ceremony underscored the long-standing relationship between Zimbabwe and the Netherlands, with Ambassador van Hofwegen describing hockey as a shared passion.
The global tournament will be staged in the Netherlands and Belgium from July 22 to August 16.
“I want to thank you all for being here and also wish you best of luck. May the best win. It’s quite a tough league with the UK, Ireland and New Zealand, but I think you will have a big chance and I wish you the very best. Also have fun out there in the Netherlands. It’s very hot in the Netherlands by the way, but you will love it for sure,” said van Hofwegen. The Ambassador said hockey remains deeply embedded in Dutch culture and has become an important platform for fostering sporting cooperation between Zimbabwe and the Netherlands.
“The Netherlands and Zimbabwe have a lot of things in common also in sports and also very much in hockey. Hockey is really part of our DNA. It’s probably one of the biggest sports in the Netherlands. It’s deeply rooted in our schools and universities and it’s also not only an elite sport,” he said.
Van Hofwegen described the World Masters Hockey World Cup as one of the sport’s premier international events, bringing together 30 countries, about 1,000 players and hundreds of matches.
“It’s really a big event. Thirty countries are playing, 1,000 players and about 300 games. It’s a bit of the equivalent of the FIFA World Cup. I think it’s really great that you’re taking part and it’s also important because I see hockey is growing in Zimbabwe,” he said.
National coach Tapiwa Mafi said the players had undergone one of their toughest preparation programmes to ensure they were physically ready for the demands of the competition.
“The teams have worked really hard. It’s been maybe the hardest they’ve ever worked since high school when they played for national teams,” said Mafi.
“We are playing against some of the best in the world, but Zimbabweans are passionate and work well together. That camaraderie gives us an edge,” he said.
