An FIH Hockey Ride feature captures the team’s lighter side, while Onthatile Zulu explains what representing South Africa and the wider African hockey community means to the squad.
Global (19 August 2026) – The South African hockey team is showing that there is more than one way to prepare for a World Cup and sometimes, all you need is a car, your teammates and a good set of voices.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) gave fans a glimpse into the team’s lighter side through its Hockey Ride series, with the players piling into the car, chatting, singing and even breaking into an impromptu a cappella performance.
But beneath the laughs and singing is a team carrying a much bigger responsibility at the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
For South Africa, the tournament is not only about representing the country. The team also sees itself as a representative of the wider African hockey community.
Speaking in the FIH feature, South African player Onthatile Zulu said the team is determined to show that African hockey belongs on the biggest international stage.
“We want to prove to the whole world that we are just as good as everyone else.”
Zulu said the team is grateful for the opportunity to compete at such a prestigious tournament and wants to make the most of it.
“We’re not only representing South Africa, but we’re representing the whole of Africa,” she said. “We don’t want to get excluded from such prestigious events.”
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As Zulu put it, they are not only playing for the badge on the front of their shirts, but for a continent that wants to see its hockey talent given the opportunity to compete among the best.
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