The Australian men’s team endured a loss to Croatia 11-10 in a close loss during the 2026 World Cup. The match was intense and decided by a single goal. They won a vital sudden-death shootout against Spain earlier by 14-13 to advance past groups. The victory came late and propelled them into the knockout round. Australia then lost in the intense semifinals to Croatia. In the semifinal, the Australians could not recover against the Croatians. The defeat was painful but the team showed resilience. China and Hungary played for seventh place after both teams went out in initial knockout games on the women’s side. The two nations battled for seventh place after knockout setbacks on the women’s side. Fans watched a tight showdown that highlighted the depth of the field. The match was well-contested.