--- title: "World Cup and 100th cap beckons for SA Hockey captain Dayaan Cassiem" description: "The 2026 men’s and women’s Hockey World Cups begin on 15 August, with South Africa eager to improve on past performances as Dayaan Cassiem is set to celebrate his 100th international cap." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "HOCKEY FEST" author: "Annemieke Thomaidis" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/annemieke-thomaidis/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-12-world-cup-and-100th-cap-beckons-for-sa-hockey-captain-dayaan-cassiem/" published: "2026-08-12T14:17:03" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 975 --- # World Cup and 100th cap beckons for SA Hockey captain Dayaan Cassiem > The 2026 men’s and women’s Hockey World Cups begin on 15 August, with South Africa eager to improve on past performances as Dayaan Cassiem is set to celebrate his 100th international cap. By Annemieke Thomaidis · Published 12 August 2026, 16:17 SAST ## Key points - Dayaan Cassiem is set to notch his 100th international cap at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup (15–30 Aug, Belgium & the Netherlands) – he’ll captain SA at his third World Cup and line up alongside younger brother Mustapha. - Men’s side (ranked 13th) arrive on momentum after a Nations Cup silver; coach Devon van der Merwe cites a valuable 10-match build-up and a tactical youth–experience mix as they face a stern pool with Australia (4), Spain (6) and Ireland (10). - Women’s team (ranked 18th) blend 10 Olympians with seven major-event debutants – Onthatile Zulu (83 caps) and skipper Edith Molikoe lead a squad drawn into Pool D with China (4), England (7) and India (9), with SA hoping to cause upsets. - SA’s campaign starts 16 Aug (women v England; men v Spain). Broadcast note: neither SuperSport nor SABC have rights – matches will be on the subscription Watch Hockey platform. ## Content It has been 10 years in the making, but South African men’s hockey captain, Dayaan Cassiem, is on the cusp of a major milestone. The Mitchells Plain-born star is set to earn his 100th international cap at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, which runs from 15 to 30 August in Belgium and the Netherlands. The player made his international debut at 18 years old and has become a household name over the years. Dayaan will captain South Africa (SA) at his third World Cup, with his younger brother, Mustapha Cassiem, also in the team. “Dayaan’s 100th cap is going to be massive,” said Phikolomzi Mbuqe, chief executive of the South Africa Hockey Association (Saha). “When I had a chat with him in Durban for the Malaysia series, he was quite excited about reaching the milestone. “He’s a phenomenal leader. He rallies the troops, keeps them focused and makes sure they always give their best. He doesn’t give up until the final whistle and he always keeps fighting.” ![Hockey – Cassiem 100](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/gAYWi9pRFJwt_UAOP6_fH_HW3HM=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/TL_2241828_642592.jpg) *Dayaan Cassiem sits on 99 international caps and is set to become the latest South African men’s player to reach the coveted 100-cap mark during the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup. (Photo: Anton Geyser / Gallo Images)* Over the next two weeks, 16 men’s and women’s teams will compete for hockey’s most coveted prize. SA will compete in its eighth World Cup and hopes to improve on previous performances despite facing the world’s strongest nations. Historically, both national teams have hovered between 10th and 16th place, often challenged by limited resources and fewer opportunities to play together than the sport’s leading nations. ### Men banking on momentum However, the men’s squad reflects the progress made in recent years, blending experienced campaigners with an exciting group of emerging players. Captain Dayaan will be surrounded by a strong leadership group featuring his brother Mustapha, Nic Spooner, Andrew Hobson, Sam Mvimbi and Tevin Kok. Their wealth of international experience is expected to play a crucial role as SA ranked 13th in the world navigates a demanding pool, with Australia ranked fourth, Spain ranked sixth and Ireland ranked 10th. Young and up-and-coming players such as Jared Cass, Kenton Melville and Cullin de Jager impressed during June’s FIH Nations Cup in Cape Town, where SA claimed a silver medal. ![Hockey – Cassiem 100](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/mdux6kQaY5NRodqMsdZ9z9D2MxI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2281795558_837479.jpg) *Kenton Melville enjoyed a dream start to his international hockey career at the 2026 FIH Nations Cup, scoring in every group-stage match in the Nations Cup since making his debut against France on 11 June. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images / Getty Images)* Head coach Devon van der Merwe said that striking that balance between youth and experience is essential in the modern game. “The game has gotten incredibly quick and incredibly tactical,” Van der Merwe told Daily Maverick during the Nations Cup. “So it’s important to strike a balance between some experience and youth. Youthfulness brings speed, it brings energy, and experience brings tactical prowess.” The Nations Cup proved a valuable boost ahead of the World Cup, said Van der Merwe. SA had initially missed out after being relegated the previous year, but earned an automatic spot when France withdrew as hosts and SA stepped in to host the event. Van der Merwe said it had been a long time since SA entered a World Cup with the benefit of 10 international matches in its build-up. While many of the top European nations regularly compete across borders and enjoy year-round exposure through elite competitions such as the FIH Pro League and professional club structures, SA seldom has the same opportunities. “Preparing for a World Cup, we have to maintain perspective about where we are as a team and what we’re working towards,” said Van der Merwe. “To have a Nations Cup so close to the World Cup, while many top nations are playing in the Pro League, was a real bonus for us. It’s an opportunity we otherwise wouldn’t have had.” [Media](https://www.canva.com/design/DAHSESqeJrY/mLZjvcjwZoQ1gDL-iFIkxQ/view?embed) *The South African men’s side did not participate in the 1998 edition of the Hockey World Cup, while 1998 was the women’s maiden World Cup. (Graphic: Annemieke Thomaidis/ Source: FIH Website)* ### ‘Women’s challenge is high’ Meanwhile, the South African women’s team heads to the World Cup after a productive build-up that included a four-match clean sweep of Namibia and two test matches against Scotland. As with the men’s side, the squad combines established internationals with promising newcomers. The group includes 10 Olympians, nine of whom represented SA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Onthatile Zulu is the most experienced player in the squad with 83 caps, while Edith Molikoe will captain a side that features seven major-event debutants. “It’s part of the growth of SA Hockey – the high-performance strategy is to provide that blend of youngsters with experienced players,” said Mbuqe. “Many of our senior players have moved on, so we are starting to build up for the next phase, not only for this World Cup, but for the next World Cup and going forth.” ![Hockey – Cassiem 100](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/2cyzI5yqPUfSvni9HriCMgsMdTw=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/GettyImages-2165101616_951655.jpg) *SA’s Onthatile Zulu battling Abigail Tamer of the US for possession during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on 3 August 2024. (Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images)* Ranked 18th, they have a mountain to climb in Pool D with China ranked fourth, England seventh and India ninth. “We’ve always found ourselves in tough groups and we’ve always managed to compete,” said Mbuqe. “On their day, South African teams can amaze you. And while the women’s challenge is quite high, I do believe that they have the ability to play and get good results against all three opponents.” **DM** *SA’s World Cup campaign begins on 16 August, with the women taking on England and the men facing Spain. Fans hoping to watch may struggle to find coverage locally, with neither SuperSport nor SABC broadcasting the event. Matches will be available via the subscription-based Watch Hockey platform.*