Mariah Williams has been named in the Hockeyroos squad for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup next month.

Hockey Australia announced its men's and women's squads on Monday, with the Parkes star now preparing for her second World Cup campaign and will join fellow Central West player Abigail Wilson from Lithgow in the line-up.

The pinnacle event is set to take place in Belgium and the Netherlands from 15-30 August with the Hockeyroos team based out of Amsterdam.

All eyes will be on Australia and Japan on the 15th when the two play the opening game of the World Cup, ahead of the Hockeyroos' other pool games against the Netherlands and Chile on 17 and 19 August, respectively.

Looking to better their bronze medal from the 2022 World Cup - during which Williams played her 100th game for Australia - the women will be chasing a third World Cup title, last won in 1998. While the Kookaburras are on the hunt for their fourth, 12 years on since their last World Cup glory.

Williams now has 159 international caps, which includes three Olympic Games, two Oceania Cups and a Commonwealth Games, and has scored a total of 26 goals in her 13-year Hockeyroos career.

Head Coach Rhett Halkett said in Monday's announcement, the selected squad had earned the opportunity to represent Australia on the sport’s biggest stage after a year full of challenges, growth and development.

"Selection for a World Cup is never easy because it represents the pinnacle of our sport. Every player who has represented the Hockeyroos this year has contributed to where we are today," he said.

"I am very proud of how the squad has handled everything thrown at them this year.

"This team has a well-balanced mix of experience and mature emerging talent.

"Throughout the year we’ve continued to challenge ourselves against the world’s best teams, and we’ve seen positive strides in both our performances and our belief."

Meanwhile there are seven Parkes players who have been named in Australian Masters teams to compete in the World Masters Hockey World Cup that hits off this month.

They too will head to the Netherlands and Belgium from 22 July to 16 August.

Those selected are Casey Miles - shadow Over 35s, Denise Gersbach - shadow Over 50s and Australia 2 Over 45s, Ian Westcott - Over 50s, Graeme Tanswell Over 55s, Dusty Powter Over 60s, Maureen Massey - Over 70s and Noel Johnstone - shadow in Over 80s.

Stay tuned, we'll have more on these Masters World Cup reps next week.