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 key sudden-death shootout against Spain earlier by 14-13 to advance past groups. The victory came late and catapulted 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 hard-hitting but the team showed determination. China and Hungary played for seventh place after both teams went out in first-round knockout games on the women’s side. The two nations clashed for seventh place after early exits on the women’s side. Fans watched a hard-fought showdown that showcased the depth of the field. The match was closely contested.