Can Czechia end a decade-long absence from women’s EuroHockey elite?

Can Czechia reclaim its place in women’s field hockey’s top tier after a decade away? The answer may come in Prague this week, where Czechia will compete in the EuroHockey Championship Qualifier I at Slavia Prague against Lithuania, Austria, and Türkiye—a four-team battle for promotion to the elite championship.

Czechia last appeared in the top tier in 2017. That makes this qualifier a chance to reverse years of decline. The hosts rank 28th in the world, yet their recent form tells a different story. They demolished Croatia 12-0 and beat Switzerland 3-1 in the Alps Cup last weekend. Veronika Přibíková was the standout, scoring six goals in that Swiss victory.

Czechia opens against Lithuania on Thursday at 17:45 CET. The matchup favours the hosts. Since 2016, Czechia has won four straight against Lithuania, including a 4-1 victory last summer when Natálie Hájková scored twice. Lithuania, ranked 53rd globally, finished seventh at Championship II last summer and hasn’t reached the top tier since 1999.

Austria faces Türkiye at 15:30 CET that same day. The two sit close in rankings: Austria at 33rd, Türkiye at 34th. But Türkiye’s pedigree runs deeper—they finished second at Championship III last summer. The nations last met outdoors in 2015, when Austria won 6-0 in Dublin’s World League.

Austria’s captain Johanna Czech leads a squad that trained hard. Austria faced Poland four times in warm-ups—twice in Vienna, twice in Poznań—winning one, drawing one, and losing two. One detail stands out: Kristina Vukovich, who played for Austria in that 2015 World League match, has rejoined the national team in 2025.

Türkiye’s roster is young. Only captain Yeter Okumuş and Tugçe Șahiner have over 20 caps, which means limited international experience despite their Championship III success. Okumuş carries the leadership weight as Türkiye pursues an upset.

Czechia’s preparations included captain Adéla Kožíšková’s return to the side. She led the team during the Alps Cup after stepping away for three years. All matches will be broadcast live on www.eurohockeytv.org. Weekend passes cost €8.99.