The Netherlands beat Ireland in the 2018 World Cup and have been drawn in the same group as them for the 2022 tournament ©Getty Images

Pool A at the Hockey Women’s World Cup is set to see a rematch of the 2018 final after world, Olympic, European and Pro League champions The Netherlands were drawn against Ireland.

The Dutch, the co-hosts for this year's edition and world number one, cruised to a 6-0 victory over the Irish, the surprise package of that tournament, in the previous World Cup final in London to retain the title they had won in The Hague in 2014. 

Ireland are now ranked 12th in the world.

Joining them in Pool A for a 16-team tournament due to open on July 1 and conclude on July 17 are world number five Germany and Chile, the world number 17 and tournament debutants.

One spin-off storyline includes Chile and The Netherlands meeting each for the first time.

"Our preparation is on track and we are improving every day," midfielder Xan de Waard, a member of the Dutch side that has won the last two World Cups and the Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, said. 

"We had a really good training trip to Valencia for training and now we are in Mannheim so we are looking forward to playing more Pro League games and hopefully we will be ready when the World Cup comes."

Pool B contains England, India, New Zealand and China.

Pool A and Pool B fixtures are due to be played at the Wagener Stadium on the outskirts of Amsterdam.

Pool C sees world number two and two-time champions Argentina face co-hosts and world number six Spain, alongside South Korea and Canada, who are ranked 11th and 13th in the world, respectively.

The final group, Pool D, has Australia as its headliner.

The Australian's will be searching for their third World Cup title but face Belgium, Japan, and African champions South Africa.

The Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa in Spain is scheduled to host stage Groups C and D.

At the draw at the National Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia in Terrassa today, a dragon was announced as the tournament's mascot.

The draw was conducted by International Hockey Federation chief executive Thierry Weil, Spanish international Verta Bonastre and Spanish coach Santi Freixa,

As well as hosting Group matches, Estadi Olímpic de Terrassa, which hosted the Olympic hockey tournament when Barcelona staged the Games in 1992, it will also stage the  semi-finals and final.