World Cup and 100th cap beckons for SA Hockey captain Dayaan Cassiem

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.” 

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. 

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.” 

^{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.” 

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.