In April 2024, it was announced the EuroHockey Championships will expand from an eight-team to a 12-team tournament, introducing a knock-out format for both men’s and women’s competitions.
This marks the first major format change in over two decades, aimed at increasing competition and inclusivity in European hockey.
Under the new format, the teams ranked 5th to 12th will compete in an initial knock-out round, with winners advancing to the quarter-finals.
The losers of this preliminary round will get a second chance, facing off against the top four ranked teams for the remaining quarter-final slots.
Teams finishing in the lowest positions will play additional matches to determine rankings from 9th to 12th.