Hockey in Chile
CHI
FIH Rankings
Las Diablas: the Chilean hockey rise via Santiago
— CULTChilean hockey has experienced the most striking rise of any South American hockey nation outside Argentina over the past decade. The Federación Chilena de Hockey Césped coordinates the national programme, which has historically operated from clubs in Santiago and Viña del Mar. Las Diablas, as the women's national team is known, broke into the world's top eight for the first time in 2024 and beat India 3-2 at the FIH Nations Cup that same year.
What systemically sets Chile apart is the central role of private clubs within a relatively limited public sports infrastructure. Prince of Wales Country Club and Club Manquehue in Santiago act as talent hubs, with family traditions spanning generations within the national squad. The influence of the Argentine coaching school is unmistakable: Sergio Vigil, the architect of Las Leonas' 2002 World Cup title, advised the Chilean federation for years and many Chilean technical staffs have Argentine roots.
Qualification for the 2026 World Cup was achieved on home soil: Chile hosted the Santiago Qualifier in March 2026 and qualified directly for the main event. With the current staff, with forward Josefa Villalabeitia as the spearhead and goalkeeper Manuela Urroz as defensive anchor, Chile plays an athletic game built on physical intensity and rapid counters. The Claudia Schüler legacy, Chile's iconic captain from the 2010s, still resonates today in the team's structure.
Everything you want to know about hockey in Chile
— LAYERS
National men's team
ranked 24 FIHComing soon
National women's team
ranked 15 FIHFor Las Diablas, the alarm goes off at five in the morning. The Chilean internationals are doctors, kinesiologists, engineers and teachers who complete a first training block before their working day begins, unpaid, on pitches they until recently had to borrow from private clubs. And yet this very team worked its way up to the global upper mid-table, with an eleventh place as the highest ranking ever for Chilean women's hockey.
In March 2026 they won an unbeaten World Cup qualifier in their own stadium, beating Australia (twice) and Japan along the way. For the second time in a row they are at a World Cup, this time in a daunting pool with hosts the Netherlands. The dossier tells how a small hockey nation without a professional league rose to become a permanent upper-mid contender, who the key players are, and why the name Claudia Schüler keeps hanging over this team.
National club competition
Coming soon
FIH certified hockey fields
4 certifiedCategory 1
1 certifiedFields meeting the requirements for top-level international tournaments.
- Estadio Nacional - Cancha #1, Santiago de ChileSports & Leisure Domo Sports GrassDomo FastPlay IS15Valid until: Nov 5, 2027
Category 2
2 certifiedFields for international and top-level national competitions.
- Pitch 1 of Dazhou City National Hockey Training Base, DazhouAct GroupAct Turf H12Valid until: Sep 10, 2028
- Estadio Nacional - Cancha #2, Santiago de ChileSports & Leisure Domo Sports GrassDomo FastPlay IS15Valid until: Nov 5, 2027
Category 3
1 certifiedFields for lower-level national, regional and club play.
- Elgar Park Hockey, Mont Albert NorthPolytanPoligras H2OZ CoolPlus 18/28 EL12 RWValid until: Oct 15, 2028
Coaches
Coming soon
Referees
Coming soon
Chile hockey teams at the FIH WC 2026
— WK26Amstelveen, Nederland
Standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NED | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | +13 | 9 |
| 2 | AUS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | JPN | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 3 |
| 4 | CHI | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 1 |
Chile finished 4th in Pool A and play in Pool G in phase 2. Their new opponents come from Pool D: England (3rd) and South Africa (4th). Pool rival Japan (3rd in Pool A) is also in Pool G; that match was already played in phase 1. Pool G competes for places 9 to 16.
Standings
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ENG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 9 |
| 2 | JPN | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 4 |
| 3 | RSA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 4 |
| 4 | CHI | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | -7 | 0 |
Knockout phase
Historical highlights Chile
— HIST1981
Foundation and FIH membership
The Federación Chilena de Hockey Sobre Césped is founded and joins the FIH.
2011
Bronze at the Pan American Games
Chile takes bronze in Guadalajara, its first major international milestone.
2022
First World Cup appearance
Chile qualifies through the Pan American Cup for its first ever World Cup and records its first World Cup win in Spain and the Netherlands (1-0 against Ireland).
2023
Bronze at the Pan American Games in Santiago
Bronze again in front of a home crowd, after a 2-0 win over Canada.
2026
Record ranking and World Cup qualification
Chile wins the World Cup qualifier in Santiago unbeaten (1-0 against Australia) and rises to eleventh in the world, its highest ranking ever.
2026
World Cup 2026
Women: 16th place.