Poland women, who had never previously reached the podium, beat European rivals Austria to claim their first FIH Indoor World Cup in Croatia on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Germany men defeated Austria in a shoot-out to reclaim the title they last won 14 years ago.
Poland’s 37-year-old captain Marlena Rybacha, who played in the Hockey 5s World Cup last year, got her team off to a perfect start, threading a fine ball through for Amelia Katerla who scored in the third minute. It proved the vital touch of the final.
Poland had good opportunities to double their lead in the 16th and 18th minutes, but Austrian goalkeeper Michaela Streb was alert to the danger. Poland’s keeper, Marta Kucharska, finished the half with top-quality saves from a penalty stroke and a penalty corner and her team carried a slender 1-0 lead to half time.
𝑨𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕! #𝑰𝑯𝑾𝑪2025
Poland crowned as #IndoorHockey World Champions in Poreč.
What was your favourite moment from their campaign? pic.twitter.com/N1lUPKOaYx
— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) February 10, 2025
Kucharska made one great save from open play in the closing stages and then led her defence against two penalty corners in the final 20 seconds as joy descended.
Rybacha, who was later also named Player of the Tournament, said: “It feels incredible. It’s just something that we cannot believe that we made it to be the world champions. You cannot describe it, it’s something that never, ever happened to Poland hockey and we’ve made history.”
The men’s final produced a high-paced goal-fest with the scores locked on 6-6 in regulation time.
It was a top-quality encounter with the sides never separated by more than one goal throughout. Austria lived dangerously around their own circle at times and Germany punished them for it. At the other end, Fabian Unterkircher was at his very best, adding four goals in Austria’s losing cause, while he also struck the post late on for the winner.
“This is not for me, it’s for the whole team,” Player of the Match Paul Dösch afterwards. “It’s incredible what we did the last 10 days. We didn’t play one day, we met 10 days ago, it’s incredible.”
Earlier, South Africa’s men topped off their historic week with a 6-5 win over Belgium to take the bronze, a first medal for the country and the continent in a FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup.
Mustapha Cassiem, who was later named Player of the Tournament, grabbed another hat-trick to finish on 17 goals.
In the women’s third-place playoff, Czechia equalised in the last play of regulation time against Germany and went on to win the shoot-out for back-to-back bronze medals in the tournament.
Best Players of the Tournament
Men
Best junior player – Ben Hasbach (GER)
Best goalkeeper – Joshua Onyekwue Nnaji (GER)
Top scorer – Philippe Simar (BEL)
Best player – Mustapha Cassiem (RSA)
Women
Best junior player – Reese d’Ariano (USA)
Best goalkeeper – Somlak Suttiprapa (THA)
Top scorer – Ines Wanner (GER)
Best player – Marlena Rybacha (POL)
