Lausanne, Switzerland: The first ever men’s FIH Hockey5s World Cup came to a thrilling conclusion with the Netherlands overcoming Malaysia to lift the trophy and match what their women’s team achieved just four days ago.

Malaysia can be justifiably proud of their silver medal, having successfully built their senior side up from junior level over the past few years. Six of their players were part of the squad that clinched the gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, which was played in the Hockey5s format.

Meanwhile, there was home joy for hosts Oman who overcame Poland in an exhilarating encounter to secure the bronze medal at their first ever FIH World Cup in any format. And Pakistan clinched the Challenger Trophy, for those teams that didn’t make it through to the quarter-finals, after a convincing victory over Switzerland. 

The action-packed tournament saw a total of 507 goals being scored in total over the four days of matches in Muscat, Oman.

The Netherlands dominated the final with a 5-2 victory over Malaysia, but they didn’t have things all their own way. The Dutch went ahead from a challenge in the first minute, only for Malaysia to equalise from a rebound off the baseline a minute later. The Dutch then built a 3-1 lead before half-time and looked comfortable. Malaysia hammered one in from long range in the opening minute of the second half, but failed to convert some very good opportunities in the riveting 10 minutes that followed, allowing the Dutch to reassert control and then fire in two late goals to secure the title.

Speaking after the match, Joey van Walstijn, who was later named the best goalkeeper of the tournament, said: “I think the strength of our team was that there was no star in the team itself. This prize is also for Koene Schaper, we did it together, we both played a good tournament. He did very well, I did very well, and the whole team performed and that’s what it’s all about.”

Hosts Oman rounded off their tournament with an enthralling 3-2 win over Poland in the bronze medal match. It was always going to be a tight encounter with neither team ranking among the top goal scorers at the tournament. Oman attacked more in the early stages to go 1-0 up after seven minutes before conceding a goal just before the break. They regained the lead early in the second half and were effective at restricting Polish opportunities until an equaliser in the 25th minute. However, the home side scored the winning goal a minute later, the ball deflecting in off the keeper’s back foot and barely crossing the line. It was enough, though, for a historic bronze medal

An elated Sami Al Laun said afterwards: “I will just say thank you to my team. We are the third place in the world. This means a lot for us as players. For me it’s a great moment to be there… This means a lot for our country.”

Earlier, India had a point to prove against Egypt, having lost to them in the pool stage, and they came out firing in a 6-4 win for 5th place. They took early control of the game and raced to a five-goal lead before the Egyptians pulled one back just before the break. Egypt looked a completely different team in the second half but it was a case of too little too late. 

Kenya also reversed their pool-stage loss to Trinidad and Tobago, beating them 7-5 to claim seventh spot. The game was free-flowing and always in the balance, Kenya’s Bethuel Masambu completing his hat-trick at the death to close out the match, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Akim Toussaint contributed a hat-trick in the losing cause.

Pakistan were genuine top-eight contenders at this tournament but found themselves in the Challenger Trophy – the newly introduced trophy for those not making it through to the quarter-finals – after losing out in a very tough pool. 

They showed their ability by cruising to a 10-1 win against Switzerland in the Challenger Trophy final, dominating every facet of play and denying the Swiss any opportunity to gain a foothold in the match. Zikriya Hayat completed a hat-trick, taking Pakistan well clear of the pack with 57 team goals in the tournament, while Rana Waheed finished as top individual scorer with 23 goals.

In the 11th-place playoff Australia’s Liam Kerr-Nelson scored a hat-trick to help his team to a 6-4 win over New Zealand. 

The USA triumphed in a 10-9 thriller against Nigeria for 13th place, Pat Harris and Alberto Montilla scoring hat-tricks for the American side while Nigeria’s Peter John and Sunday Godwin grabbed four and three goals each in a losing cause. 

Fiji scored three goals in the 26th minute to steal a 4-2 win over Jamaica for 15th place.

Tournament awards:

Gold medallists: NETHERLANDS

Silver medallists: MALAYSIA

Bronze medallists: OMAN

Winners of the Men’s Challenger Trophy: PAKISTAN

Runners-up of the Men’s Challenger Trophy: SWITZERLAND

Best Goalkeeper: Joey van Walstijn (NED)

Best Junior Player: Hannan Shahid (PAK)

Top Scorer (23): Waheed Ashraf Rana (PAK)

Best Player: Akhimullah Anuar (MAS)

FIH Hockey5s World Cup, Oman – 31 January 

Result: Match 41 (M)

Jamaica 2 – 4 Fiji

Result: Match 42 (M)

USA 10 – 9 Nigeria

Result: Match 43 (M)

Australia 6 – 4 New Zealand

Result: Match 44 (M)

Pakistan 10 – 1 Switzerland

Result: Match 45 (M)

Kenya 7 – 5 Trinidad and Tobago

Result: Match 46 (M)

India 6 – 4 Egypt

Result: Match 47 (M)

Oman 3 – 2 Poland

Result: Match 48 (M)

Netherlands 5 – 2 Malaysia

Final positions: 1. Netherlands, 2. Malaysia, 3. Oman, 4. Poland, 5. India, 6. Egypt, 7. Kenya,  8. Trinidad and Tobago, 9. Pakistan, 10. Switzerland, 11. Australia, 12. New Zealand, 13. USA, 14. Nigeria, 15. Fiji, 16. Jamaica

Bhubaneswar, 31st January 2024: The Netherlands, the number one ranked women’s hockey team in the world, and Australia, ranked second in the world, arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Wednesday to begin their FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 campaign.

The FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 (Women) is scheduled to take place at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar from 3rd to 9th February, before moving to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, where the league will continue from 12th to 18th February. Five national teams – India, China, the United States of America, the Netherlands, and Australia – will participate in the India leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24, facing each other once in Bhubaneswar and once in Rourkela.

Australia will play their first match of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 on 3rd February, against China, followed by a contest with the United States on 6 February. They will then take on India on 7th February and the Netherlands on 9th February.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands will kick off their FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 campaign on 3rd February, in a battle against the United States. Their next match will be against India on 4th February, followed by a clash with China on 6th February. They will go on to face Australia in the last match of the Bhubaneswar leg, on 9th February.

“The FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 is a crucial fixture for us as it serves as a preparatory event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. We are looking forward to it and are excited for what is to come. We have been training in Delhi for the last six days and we have a practice match against China before we get right into it. We will be up against some good teams; we haven’t played them in a while. But China, Australia, and India are all exceptional teams and we are looking forward to taking them on,” the Netherlands’ Captain Maria Verschoor commented after landing in Bhubaneswar.

Echoing similar thoughts Australia’s Captain Grace Stewart said, “The FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 is super important for us, we will face a lot of good quality teams here, and it is a great opportunity to bring things together as a team and get some matches under our belt. We have been training together for a month now and we are excited to get going. All the teams in the League are tough, China and the USA have been in good form and it’s always tough to play against the Dutch, we are ready for some exciting matches against everyone.”

All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel

Bhubaneswar, 31st January 2024: The FIH Pro League 2023/24 is all set to begin with the Indian Women’s Hockey Team taking on reigning Asian Games Champions China in their first match on 3rd February. As the excitement grows to watch the Indian Hockey Teams in action against some of the best teams in the world, Hockey India has begun the sale of offline tickets for the Bhubaneswar leg of FIH Pro League 2023/24.

Starting Wednesday, the offline tickets will be on sale between 11.00 AM and 6.00 PM at Gate No. 9 of the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar. The tickets for the West Stand and East Stand are priced at Rs.500 and Rs.200 respectively. Meanwhile, North Stand and South Stand tickets are priced at Rs.100.

The Kalinga Hockey Stadium will host 10 matches of the Women’s teams from 3rd February to 9th February, followed by 10 matches of the Men’s teams from 10th February to 16th February. The Women’s teams participating in the mini-tournament are the United States of America, China, the Netherlands, Australia, and India and the Men’s teams that would be participating are the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, Ireland, and India. Each team is scheduled to compete against each other once in this mini-tournament being held in Bhubaneswar.

Commenting on the launch of the sale of physical tickets Dr. Dilip Tirkey, Hockey India President said, “We are delighted to welcome fans once again to witness the enthralling hockey action that will take place at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar starting from February 3rd. The top nations from around the world will be competing in the prestigious league and we invite fans from all around the nation to witness this thrilling sporting action.”

Details of the tickets for sale are as under for all days:

Earlier on Thursday, Hockey India announced online ticket sales for all the Women’s and Men’s matches in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Fans can avail of the match tickets from www.ticketgenie.in, and there will be no need for redemption for physical tickets of online purchases.

All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel.

Muscat, Oman: On the occasion of the first ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), meeting yesterday in Muscat, Oman, under the chairmanship of FIH President Tayyab Ikram, expressed its gratitude and congratulations to the Omani authorities and Hockey Oman for the magnificent event they’ve produced and the fantastic brand-new Hockey Oman Venue that will remain as a tremendous legacy for the sport.

In his opening words, the FIH President reiterated how successful and insightful yesterday’s National Associations Summit had been and confirmed that similar interactions will take place in the future.

The EB decided that the number of participating teams at the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cups will be increased from 16 to 24. This expansion will provide global competition opportunities for more young athletes from 8 more countries around the world, in a tournament format that will see every team playing 6 matches.

Furthermore, the Hockey Association of Kyrgyzstan was approved as provisional member of FIH; its application for full membership will be submitted to the next FIH Congress, meeting in November this year.

The EB heard a report about FIH’s sustainability strategy. In 2024, the focus will be on engaging with Continental Federations and National Associations to roll out sustainability initiatives and strategies around the world.

The EB members received also detailed updates about FIH’s development activities – especially in terms of education-, the Olympic Solidarity programme, sport matters, the preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympic hockey tournaments, the ongoing FIH Hockey Pro League Season 5 – resuming on 3 February in India – and the upcoming FIH Hockey Nations Cup.

Bhubaneswar, 29th January 2024: The United States Women’s Hockey Team landed at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Monday to begin their FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 campaign. Having secured a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics at the recently concluded FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024, the United States are now focused on securing a FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 spot through the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24.

The FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 (Women) is scheduled to take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar from 3rd to 9th February, before moving to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, where the league will continue from 12th to 18th February. Five national teams – India, China, the United States of America, the Netherlands, and Australia – will participate in the India leg of the FIH Pro League 2023/24, facing each other once in Bhubaneswar and once in Rourkela.

The United States will face the Netherlands in the opening game of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 on 3 February. Their second game will be against Australia on 6 February, followed by a clash with China on 7 February. They will then face India in the last match of the Bhubaneshwar leg on 9 February.

Their previous encounter with the Indian Women’s Hockey Team was in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 which the United States won by 1-0. Capitalising on the early momentum they triumphed against Italy and New Zealand to top Pool B. A 2-1 victory against Japan in the Semi-Final guaranteed their qualification for Paris 2024 Olympics. Their only loss came in Final where they lost 0-2 to Germany.

Shedding light on the way forward for the team, Captain Amanda Gollini said,” We are looking forward to getting back into it, obviously coming off the Olympic Qualifiers, we got the result that we wanted. Now we’ve set some new goals to prepare for the year ahead. The one thing we want to continue from the last tournament is taking it one game at a time, that helped us succeed and I think that’s something we are looking forward to repeating in the FIH Pro League.” 

“The Pro League is very important in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Olympics, it presents us with a wonderful opportunity to prepare for the Olympics. But it is imperative that we trust the process, take it one game at a time, and not get ahead of ourselves,” she elaborated.

All matches of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 will be streamed on JioCinema, additionally, all India matches will be telecast on Sports18 – Khel.

Lausanne, Switzerland: Defending Olympic champions Belgium made sure they’ll be in Paris to defend their men’s title later this year by winning their semi-final clash with Korea 4-0 at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 in Valencia on Friday.

Also booking their Olympic spot were Spain who fought hard for their 2-0 victory over Ireland. Korea and Ireland have one last shot at qualifying – the winner of their bronze-medal playoff earning their place in Paris.

That’s how the Japan women earned their spot – by beating India 1-0 in their bronze-medal match in Ranchi. The Indian women finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but will miss out on the 2024 Games.

Ranchi (W)

The women’s tournament in Ranchi wrapped up with all eyes on the third-place match between hosts India and Japan with the last Paris Olympic qualifying spot up for grabs.

Meanwhile, having already claimed their Olympic berths in the semi-finals, Germany faced the USA in the final.

Japan made a blistering start in a high-paced match against India, opening the scoring in the sixth minute and dominating the first quarter. The middle periods were hotly contested with India gradually gaining the ascendancy. By the fourth quarter Japan were unable to retain any possession and India ran rampant on attack. However, the Japanese somehow hung on for the 1-0 win, claiming third place and with that, a ticket to the Paris Olympics.

An emotional player of the match, Shihori Oikawa, said afterwards: “We are super-happy because today was the last chance for the Paris Olympics and we made it happen. I’m just super-proud of the team… After the first goal we just kept attacking because India is a very strong team so we never stopped attacking, just kept playing and pushing forward.”

Germany came out all guns blazing against the USA in the final with Jette Fleschutz opening the scoring in the third minute. They continued to dominate play throughout the first half, earning 10 penalty corners, adding a second goal, and denying the USA any circle entries. Were it not for Jennifer Rizzo having a fantastic match in goal for the USA, the match would have been wrapped up long before half-time. The Americans lifted their play in the second half, but couldn’t challenge the Germans and it was up to Kelsy Bing in the USA goal to deny Die Danas a much bigger win. Germany may be leaving Ranchi with the title after the 2-0 win but both teams got what they were looking for in India which was Olympic qualification.

Meanwhile, in the contests for the lower places, it was New Zealand who secured fifth place with a 3-1 win over Italy after a tightly fought contest, while Chile finished seventh after a 1-0 victory over Czechia.

Tournament awards

Best player: Nike Lorenz (GER)

Top scorers (4 goals): Charlotte Stapenhorst (GER), Sonja Zimmerman (GER), Jette Fleschϋtz (GER)

Best goalkeeper: Kelsey Bing (USA)

Best junior player: Deepika (IND)

Valencia (M)

Over in Valencia, the home side, Spain, took on Ireland and Belgium faced off against Korea in the all-important semi-final showdowns with two Olympic places on the line.

It was a nail-biting first half between hosts Spain and the Irish with very few opportunities and both teams keeping things tight. Spain took control in the third quarter with two penalty corner goals, and for all Ireland’s intense pressure in the closing minutes of the match, it wasn’t enough to beat a sublime Luis Calzado in the Spanish goal. With the 2-0 victory Spain progressed to the final in Valencia and booked their spot in Paris, to continue their proud record of having competed at every Olympic Games since 1960. Ireland must now win their third-place playoff if they are to join the Spanish in the French capital.

Player of the match Rafael Vilallonga said afterwards: “It’s a dream for all of us. It’s amazing to be here and also for the fans to be in Paris with us like today because the atmosphere was pretty good.”

In the other semi-final later in the day, Belgium had to work hard and stay patient throughout the first half against Korea and were rewarded with an opening goal from Tanguy Cosyns just before the break. They continued to control the match in the second half, adding a goal in the third quarter and two scorchers in the fourth to secure a place in the final and book their ticket to the Paris Olympics where they will aim to defend the title they won in Tokyo three years ago. Korea still have a shot at Paris if they can win their third-place playoff against Ireland on Sunday.

A delighted Belgian captain and player of the match, Felix Denayer, who scored the fourth goal to take him to what should be his fifth Olympic Games, said afterwards: “It’s unbelievable, to be honest. Going to the Olympics is something very special. We came here as the favourites but we didn’t have anything in our pocket yet, so now we have the Olympic ticket and now we can really prepare for the big stage in Paris.”

In the playoffs for 5th to 8th place, Egypt were comfortable 5-1 winners over Japan, while Austria came from behind twice against a determined Ukraine side and then prevailed 3-2 in the ensuing shootout.

FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024

Ranchi, India – 19 January 

Result Match 17 (W)

Chile 1 – 0 Czechia

Player of the match: Lucie Duchková (CZE)

Umpires: Amber Church (NZL), Katrine Turner (NZL)

Result Match 18 (W)

Italy 1 – 3 New Zealand

Player of the match: Stephanie Dickins (NZL)

Umpires: Cookie Tan (SGP), Wanri Venter (RSA) 

Result Match 19 (W)

India 0 – 1 Japan

Player of the match: Shihori Oikawa (JPN)

Umpires: Ayanna McClean (TTO), Annelize Rostron (RSA)

Result Match 20 (W)

Germany 2 – 0 USA

Player of the match: Nike Lorenz (GER)

Umpires: Rebecca Edwards (ENG), Kristy Robertson (AUS)

Valencia, Spain – 19 January

Result Match 13 (M)

Japan 1 – 5 Egypt

Player of the match: Mahmoud Mamdouh (EGY)

Umpires: Tim Meissner (GER), David Tomlinson (NZL)

Result Match 14 (M)

Spain 2 – 0 Ireland

Player of the match: Rafael Vilallonga (ESP)

Umpires: Ben Goentgen (GER), Nick Bennett (ENG)

Result Match 15 (M)

Belgium 4 – 0 Korea

Player of the match: Felix Denayer (BEL)

Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS), Michiel Otten (NED)

Result Match 16 (M)

Austria 2 – 2 Ukraine (SO: 3-2)

Player of the match: Fabian Unterkircher (AUT)

Umpires: Rawi Anbananthan (MAS), Ilanggo Kanabathu (MAS)

Ranchi, 19^th January 2024: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team lost 0-1 to Japan in a hard-fought 3^rd/4^th place play-off game at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024. With this loss, India finished in fourth place and missed out on qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Japan set the ground running early in the game and were awarded two penalty corners within the first few minutes. Although the first one wasn’t converted, Karan Urata (6’) made sure that the second one didn’t go wasted as Japan took the lead in the first quarter. 

India was awarded a couple of penalty corners and made a few circle entries in the second quarter but were unable to convert any of the opportunities into goals as the teams left the pitch at half-time with India trailing 0-1. 

India came close to equalizing by means of a penalty corner early in the third quarter but Japan goal-keeper Akio Tanaka ensured the ball didn’t find the back of the net. The Indians kept coming at Japan but the Japanese defenders didn’t budge as they held on to their slender lead going into the final quarter. 

With the clock ticking and an Olympic qualification on the line, the Indian team found a new gear and were awarded one penalty corner after another. India came close to equalizing repeatedly but a relentless Japanese defense ensured that they would hold onto their single goal lead and win the game 1-0 to finish in third place and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Lausanne, Switzerland: It was mission accomplished for four women’s teams as the USA, Spain, Germany and Belgium successfully secured their places in Paris by winning their respective semi-finals at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 in Ranchi, India and Valencia, Spain on Thursday.

Losing semi-finalists Japan, Ireland, India and Great Britain will still have a chance to qualify if they can win their respective bronze-medal playoffs.

And while they may have already booked their Olympic tickets, there is still work to be done as the USA will take on Germany in the final of the tournament in Ranchi on Friday and Spain will play Belgium in Valencia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in the men’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 in Muscat, Oman, Germany, New Zealand, Great Britain and Pakistan took one step closer to Paris by booking their places in the semifinals with victories on Thursday.

Ranchi (W)

It was crunch day in Ranchi as two Olympic places were up for grabs for the winning semi-finalists as the USA took on Japan and India faced Germany.

The USA and Japan produced an enthralling match where neither team was able to assert full control. Japan breached the American defence for the first time in the tournament, opening the scoring with a scrappy penalty corner rebound in the third quarter. The USA then fought back in a thrilling final quarter, scoring two penalty corner goals to advance to the final and book their spot at the Paris Olympic Games. Japan can still qualify for Paris by finishing third and will be looking for better accuracy from their penalty corners in their bronze medal match against India.

USA captain Ashley Hoffman said afterwards: “I am without words… It still doesn’t feel real that we’re going to Paris. After not qualifying last time in India, we came and honestly I think we put that to bed… We were just so present this whole tournament and I’m so proud of this group.”

Germany prevailed in a riveting high-paced encounter against the Indian home team. The Germans couldn’t find a goal despite dominating the opening encounters and India struck first with a penalty corner at the end of the first quarter. India carried some momentum into the second period and Germany had to scramble repeatedly before equalising on the stroke of halftime. It looked as though the Germans were safe when Charlotte Stapenhorst bagged her second goal on 57 minutes but India came back with a penalty corner goal two minutes later. The drama continued in the shootout with the teams still level after five attempts, and it took an audacious finish by Lisa Nolte to give Germany the 4-3 win, sending them on to the final and the Paris Olympics.

An elated Nolte said afterwards: “I’m very happy, I’m so proud of the team, it’s difficult to find the right words. The match wasn’t as good as we expected, it was a tough game, India was a strong opponent and our defence was good but we didn’t use our chances. But in the end, we are the winner, that’s the main thing and I’m so, so proud.”

In the day’s other 5th to 8th place playoff matches in Ranchi, Italy and Chile both enjoyed periods of dominance in an entertaining encounter. Chili scored first but Italy drew level thanks to an Antonella Bruni field goal. The Italians then took the lead through a brilliant individual goal from Federica Carta but Paula Valdivia found the equaliser for Chile to take the match to a shootout where Italy prevailed.

New Zealand did all the playing against Czechia and could easily have notched up a big win, but they failed to convert from 10 penalty corners and the Czechs defended bravely. New Zealand eventually secured the win with two field goals in the final three minutes to advance to the 5th place playoff.

Valencia (W)

Over in Valencia, the home side, Spain, took on Ireland and Belgium faced off against Great Britain in the all-important semi-final showdowns.

Spain and Ireland put on a defensive masterclass in a thrilling match where neither team was able to score in regulation time. Spain were flawless in winning the ensuing shootout 3-0 and advanced to the final, so booking their place in Paris. Ireland are left to rue their missed penalty corners as they head into the third-place playoff with their Olympic dream at stake.

Player of the match Lucia Jimenez said afterwards: “First of all I want to congratulate and wish good luck to the Ireland team – they were incredible, they play really good hockey and they deserve a spot as well. It was a fight. These games are like this… we are really happy.” 

Belgium’s dominance in the third quarter proved to be the difference as they prevailed 3-2 in a tightly contested match with Great Britain in the other semi-final in Valencia. That sent Belgium through to the final and the Paris Olympics, while Great Britain’s Olympic hopes rest on a third-place encounter against Ireland.

“I’m super, super-happy and super-proud of how my team played super-good,” said player of the match Barbara Nelen whose side will be returning to the Olympic Games for the first time in 12 years. “Finally, after 12 years, it’s better late than never,” she added.

In the 5th to 8th place playoff matches, Juliani Din enjoyed an energetic 200th cap for a highly motivated Malaysian side against a Korean team that struggled to find a spark and failed to convert any of their numerous opportunities in the first half. Hyejin Cho eventually broke the deadlock with a field goal for Korea, and they added two penalty corners for a difficult 3-0 win.

In the final match of the day, Canada had to work hard for their 2-0 victory over Ukraine, with their first goal coming just before the end of the third quarter. The Canadians will now take on Korea for 5th place while Ukraine will play Malaysia for 7th. 

Muscat (M)

It was an action-packed final day of men’s pool matches at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 in Oman’s capital, Muscat.

Germany were in control throughout in their 3-0 win against Chile. Two penalty corner goals saw them 2-0 up by halftime and Justus Weigand added the third in the final quarter to secure top spot in Group B and a place in the semi-finals. 

New Zealand went into their match with Canada assured of advancing to the semi-finals after the result earlier in the day had ended Chile’s hopes. The Black Sticks controlled the match for a comfortable 4-0 win – all their goals coming from open play – to advance to the final four.

Also sealing their spot in the semi-finals were Great Britain who romped home 6-0 in their match against China. Sam Ward celebrated his 100th cap for Great Britain by scoring a brace, with Zachary Wallace also scoring two of the six goals. The result sees the British finishing top of Pool A to keep their Olympic dream alive.

Malaysia came out firing in their must-win encounter against Pakistan. It was a fitting way for Malaysia’s captain Marhan Jalil to mark his 300th cap for the side – in a match that had it all: end-to-end action, moments of genius, sensational strikes, a missed penalty stroke and plenty of late goal-mouth drama. Each time the Malaysians edged in front, Pakistan came back at them – coming from behind three times and eventually securing the 3-3 draw which was enough to see them through to the semi-finals after finishing second in Pool A.

Pakistan will come up against world champions Germany in their semi-final encounter on Saturday while Great Britain will take on New Zealand.

Ranchi, 18^th January 2024: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team put on a spirited show against Germany but were unable to get over the line as they lost 2-2 (3-4 SO) in a thrilling Semi-Final at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024. India will now face Japan, who lost 1-2 to USA in the second Semi-Final, on 19^th January in the 3rd/4th place play off with the winners of that game finding a place in the Olympics.  

Coming into the Semi-Finals on the back of successive victories in the group stage, the Indian team made plenty of circle entries in the first quarter and it was a drag-flick from Deepika (14’) on a penalty corner towards the end of the quarter that put India in the lead.  

Despite the Indians playing a tight defense and hardly giving Germany any time on the ball, Charlotte Stapenhorst (26’) equalized for Germany to bring them back into the game as the score read 1-1 at half-time.  

Both teams raised the intensity of their game to try and take the lead in the third quarter and put themselves in the driving seat to qualify for the Final and confirm a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics but neither were able to score as the teams went into the final quarter with the score still reading 1-1.  

Early in the quarter, Deepika took a shot at goal but the Germany goal-keeper kept it out. Both India and Germany came close to having their noses in front on multiple occasions and it was Charlotte Stapenhorst (56’) yet again who scored a field goal to put Germany in the lead with just over three minutes left on the clock. With one and a half minutes left on the clock, India went level courtesy a goal from Ishika (59’) who anticipated a deflection on a penalty corner taking the match into a penalty shoot-out as the score read 2-2 at the end of full time.  

With the match heading into shootouts, Sangita, Sonika and Lalremsiami scored for India while Captain Savita was brilliant in front of goal but it was Germany that held on to their nerves to beat India 4-3 in the penalties to go through to the Final, winning by the barest of margins.   

India will face Japan in the Semi-Final on 19^th January at 1630 hrs IST. 

Matches will be live on Sports18 / Jio Cinema.  

Lausanne, Switzerland: Despite showcasing fewer games, only the Valencia Men’s pools stepping onto the pitch, Day 5 of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 produced some exhilarating tournament hockey. Spain and Belgium registered huge wins to cement their top spots, whilst Korea and Ireland clinched second place with important wins, leaving their opponents in third place. The first of the two men’s venues to finalise placings, the Valencia pools have set the standard for the Oman pools and the tournament beyond. Some impressive performances have caught eyes and triggered momentum, giving teams a well-earned boost on their hunt for Paris.

The day began with Spain’s dismantling of Egypt. The host nation had put five past Egypt by the half-time break, before then extending their lead to reach an 8-1 victory. Marc Miralles’s two penalty corners and Alvaro Iglesias’s two field goals contributed to pushing Spain two points clear at the top of Pool B, and consigning Egypt to bottom spot. Korea produced a vital performance against Austria, Jonghyun Jang’s two penalty corners playing a big part in their 4-2 win. The battle for second place, Korea’s first win of the qualifiers takes them to five points and positions them above the Austrians, as they finish the pool unbeaten.

In the other pool, the Belgians continued to set the standard for the tournament, producing the most emphatic of 12-0 wins over Ukraine. A Tom Boon hat-trick was accompanied by three braces from William Ghislain, Alexander Hendrickx and Thibeau Stockbroekx respectively. Belgium’s third win in as many games extends their pool-topping goal difference to +23, and solidifies them as the strongest performing team so far in the men’s competition. Ireland did just enough to beat Japan 1-0, Luke Madeley’s penalty corner being enough to send Ireland second in the group, doubling their point tally. Japan’s seven unconverted corners will leave them agonising over a game that could have sent them through in second place.

To see the current pool standings for the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Valencia, please click here. 

For more information about the qualifiers and the upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024, visit Olympics.Hockey. 

FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024

Valencia, Spain – 17 January 

Result Match 1 (M)

Spain 8-1 Egypt 

Player of the match: Gerard Clapes (ESP)

Umpires: Rawi Anbananthan & Tim Meissner

Result Match 2 (M)

Austria 2-4 Korea 

Player of the match: Jung Mungjae (KOR)

Umpires: David Tomlinson & Zeke Newman

Result Match 3 (M)

Belgium 12-0 Ukraine 

Player of the match: Tom Boon (BEL)

Umpires: Ilango Kanbathu & Nick Bennett

Result Match 4 (M)

Japan 0-1 Ireland 

Player of the match: Shane O’Donoghue (IRL)

Umpires: Ben Goentgen & Michiel Otten

Ranchi, 17^th January 2024: The Indian Women’s Hockey Team is all set to face Germany in the Semi-Final of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 in Ranchi following their 5-1 victory over Italy in their final Pool B match. A win in the Semi-Finals will ensure the Indian team qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024.  

The Indian Team started off on the backfoot with a 0-1 loss to USA in their first game in the group stage but came back strongly to beat New Zealand 3-1 in their second game which was a must-win match. They carried their good form into their final group stage game against Italy, whom they comfortably beat 5-1. They will go into the Semi-Finals with their confidence riding high following back-to-back wins after having their backs to the wall after the loss in the first match.  

Ahead of the all-important Semi-Final Captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team Savita said, “We’ve already played Germany a few times and have done well. We’re confident in our abilities as a team and have the game to put up a solid performance. Our attacking game is quite good. Germany is a good team so we will have to be on top of our defense and try to convert any chances we get.”  

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team which is ranked sixth in the world will take on fifth ranked Germany in the Semi-Final and hope to confirm a place in the Olympics with a win. Despite Germany being the highest ranked team in the tournament and India’s head-to-head record with the Germans not being too favorable, the Indian team will look to draw inspiration from their hard-fought win over their counterparts in the 2021-22 FIH Hockey Pro League played in Bhubaneswar in March 2022.   

The Indian Women’s Hockey Team Chief Coach Janneke Schopman said, “Germany has a lot of good players but we have a quality side that has shown they can do well under pressure. We are one game away from a spot in the Olympics. We will treat the Semi-Finals like a Final and give it our all.”  

India will face Germany in the Semi-Final on 18^th January at 1930 hrs IST.  

Matches will be live on Sports18 / Jio Cinema.  

Ranchi, 16^th January 2024: Hockey India congratulated Udita on completing 100 International Caps when India took on Italy in their final Pool B match of the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh AstroTurf Hockey Stadium on Tuesday here in Ranchi, Jharkhand. 

Udita, who hails from Haryana, has played the role of a defender for the Indian Women’s Hockey team with aplomb ever since she made her debut in 2017. She played a significant role in the team that won the Silver Medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and was also a part of the squad that finished second in the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy at Donghae. Udita represented India at the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup in London where India finished in eighth place.  

The speedy defender was a part of India’s fourth place finish in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her contribution was crucial in India winning the Bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Hockey Asia Cup held in Muscat, Oman. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England saw the Indian Women’s Hockey Team finishing in third place and Udita was a part of the squad.  

In December 2022, India beat the host nation Spain in the Women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup finals at Valencia to win the Gold medal. Udita’s equalizer in the semi-finals against Ireland was critical to the team’s success. She was also a part of the squad that won the Bronze medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou that ended in October, 2023. Udita’s most recent achievement was winning the Gold medal with the Indian team at the 2023 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy at Ranchi, Jharkhand.  

When asked about the monumental achievement, she said, “It is an absolute honour for me to be able to have represented the country in 100 matches. There have been ups and downs but that’s what has made this journey worthwhile. Playing such a special game in front of your home crowd is the cherry on top. None of this would’ve been possible without the support of my family, friends, teammates and support staff. No words can describe how grateful I am to all of them for their constant backing.”  

Congratulating Udita on achieving this milestone, Hockey India President Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey said, “A heartfelt congratulations to Udita on this commendable achievement. It is one that she can be extremely proud of just as we are. Her contribution to Indian hockey is immeasurable and I’m sure she’ll continue to persevere with her tremendous efforts.”  

Ranchi, 15th January 2024: Indian Women’s Hockey Team midfielder Beauty Dungdung has returned in the national side in the ongoing FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024. The hosts India, which are placed in Pool B, earned an emphatic 3-1 win over New Zealand in their second game of the competition on Sunday, with Beauty Dungdung finding herself on the goalsheet along with Udita and Sangita Kumari. After a 0-1 loss to the United States in their first game on Saturday, the crucial win over the Black Sticks has given India a boost of confidence ahead of their final Pool game against Italy set to take place on 16th January.

Beauty, who last featured for India in the Test matches between South Africa and India in Cape Town in January 2023, said that she is enjoying her return to the team and is glad she was able to make contribution in India’s win on Sunday. “I am enjoying my return to the team. It had been a long time since I have been a part of the squad. So, it feels good that I was able to make my way back into the team after an injury and was able to contribute in the win over New Zealand,” she said.

The 21-year-old suffered a major injury early in February last year and had to undergo surgery in March. Beauty opened up on the tough rehabilitation period and explained how support from teammates and coaching staff kept her motivated.

“A week after the operation, I started the rehabilitation process. I was experiencing pain but I kept motivating myself. I was regularly doing the physiotherapy exercises that I was recommended by the medical staff. I realised it required a lot of focus. Until you have the mindset to return, it becomes even more difficult,” Beauty recalled.

“Everyone gave me a lot of support during this time. It was the first time I was injured, so I was quite upset. Our Chief Coach Janneke Schopman motivated me and told me that each player learns from the injury period about what more they can improve in their game and how they can become mentally strong. I realised that if you have a strong mind, it helps in increasing your focus on your game,” she further added.

Beauty, who hails from Simdega district, also expressed elation over having a chance to compete in the Olympic Qualifiers in front of the home crowd. The top three teams from the tournament will book a berth for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Beauty said that she hopes India would earn a spot for the prestigious event.

“I am elated that this is the Olympic Qualifiers and I am getting a chance to play in front of my home crowd and my state. I am used to playing here, so it has been comparatively easier for me to get used to the conditions here. I am excited because my friends and family members are also getting to watch my matches,” she said.

She further admitted that playing in the home state does add to the pressure and opened up on how the team prepares for the mental aspects of the game.

“There is always pressure because I am directly playing a major tournament after injury. But if we let this pressure take over our minds, it would increase our struggle. Our team does yoga and mindfulness exercises every day which relaxes us. Our motto is to not take any pressure before any match and always do our best,” she said.

On being asked about the team’s strategies ahead of the next game, Beauty said that her side will not take any teams lightly. “All the teams in the competition are equally tough. We do not take any competition lightly. Italy have performed well and have shown they will not make it easy for any opposition. We will study their games and try to stick to our strengths and hope we can achieve a positive result,” she signed off.

India will play against Italy on 16th July, 2024 at 1930 hrs IST.

Matches will be live on Sports18 / Jio Cinema in India.

Bengaluru, 14th January 2024: The Indian Men’s Hockey team commenced their journey from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru to Cape Town in the wee hours of Sunday morning where they will play against France, South Africa and the Netherlands during their tour of South Africa between 22nd and 28th January.  

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team, which is ranked third in the world, will take on ninth-ranked France on 22nd January in their first game before playing them again on the 24th of January. They will then play hosts South Africa, which is ranked 14th in the world, on 26th January before playing the Netherlands, the no.1 team, in their final game of the tour on 28th January.  

With Captain Harmanpreet Singh leading the charge and FIH Player of the Year 2023 Hardik Singh playing deputy, the Indian team boasts of a rich blend of youth and experience and will look to make full use of the tour to build on their quality of hockey in the year of the Olympics.  

Before hopping on the flight from Bengaluru, Captain Harmanpreet Singh said, “It is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to work on our game together as a unit while playing against some of the best teams in the world. We’ve had a preparatory camp in Bengaluru where everyone has developed clarity on their roles. There are a few youngsters who have been added to the squad so it’ll be great to see how they complement our team going forward especially with the Olympics nearing.”  

Vice-Captain Hardik Singh echoed his Captain’s thoughts saying, “We have a big squad and are quite excited about the prospect of playing against top quality international teams going into the season. It is the year of the Olympics and we would like for everyone to get the required exposure as we continue our bid to go from strength to strength at the international level.”  

The Indian Men’s Hockey team will begin their South African tour against France on 22nd January at 1430hrs IST.   

Ranchi, 12 January 2024: The battle to earn a berth for Paris Olympics begins tomorrow, with the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 kicking off in Ranchi, Jharkhand at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf on Saturday. The eight teams in the fray include world no.5 Germany, Japan, Chile and Czech Republic in Pool A while hosts India are clubbed in Pool B with New Zealand, United States and Italy. Only the top 3 teams in the tournament will make the qualification cut. 

Vying for their third consecutive Olympic berth, the Savita-led Indian Women’s Hockey Team are optimistic about their chances. Going into the tournament as the second highest ranked team, the hosts will be riding on some significant performances in recent times, namely the Asian Champions Trophy where they avenged their loss to China in the Semi-Finals of the 19^th Asian Games Hangzhou. “We are ready for the tournament. The entire team understands that this is the first step towards the Paris Olympics dream. We have worked on ourselves as an individual and as a team. Our focus will be on our own strength, and not worry too much about what the opponents will bring to the table,” asserted a confident Captain Savita. 

The Indian side will begin their campaign with a match against the United States on Saturday. The Indian team had defeated the US in the 2019 Olympic Qualifiers and will be looking to repeat that performance this time too. “There will be pressure when we take on the USA. No doubt, they are a good side. But as I have always said, there is pressure in every match and every tournament, this is no different. We have worked on ourselves mentally and have worked on how to overcome difficult situations in the match,” stated Savita. 

Speaking about the pressure to qualify for the Olympics, Chief Coach Janneke Schopman said, “The Olympics is the biggest tournament, so of course there will be pressure. Every team here wants to qualify for the Olympics and the team is aware of the challenges they will face but as Savita said, the team is well-prepared and playing in Ranchi is an advantage. We saw how much they rallied behind the team when the Asian Champions Trophy was held here, I believe their support will count this time too. If our team plays to our potential, I know we stand a sure shot to qualify.” 

The Indian Team will take on the United States in their opening match on 13th January, followed by a match against New Zealand on 14th January. After a day’s rest, India will play Italy on 16th January while the Semi-Finals will be held on 18th and the Final on 19th January.

On 13^th January India will take on USA at 1930 hrs. 

Matches will be live on Sports18 / Jio Cinema.

New Delhi, 10^th January 2024: Day 10 of the 2nd Khelo India Sub Junior Women’s Hockey League – Phase 2 witnessed Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre, Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy and SAI Shakti Team win their respective matches.   

Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre records convincing win:      

In the first match of the day, Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre defeated Jai Bharat Hockey Academy 12-1. Pragya Patel (10’, 12’, 45’, 58’) scored four goals, Captain Doli Bhoi (8’, 15’, 57’) scored a hat-trick while Kesar Bhabar (3’), Sheetal Yadav (14’), Neharika Toppo (24’), Saniya Syed (36’) and Chanchal Yadav (38’) scored a goal each for Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High Performance Centre. The lone goal for Jai Bharat Hockey Academy came from a penalty corner conversion by Anita Devi (19’).  

Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy wins close game:       

In the second match of the day, Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy defeated Bhai Behlo Hockey Academy Bhagta 1-0. The game nearly ended in a goal-less draw with both teams putting on a tremendous display of defence but it was Pritam Siwach Hockey Academy Captain Diksha (60’) who converted a penalty corner in the final minute of the game to break the deadlock and take her team to victory.  

SAI Shakti Team records comprehensive win:      

In the third match of the day, SAI Shakti Team defeated SAI Bal Team 5-1. Purnima Yadav (3’, 23’) scored a brace for SAI Shakti Team while Ravina (36’), Captain Kajal (40’) and Priyanka (56’) scored a goal each. The solitary goal for SAI Bal Team was a field goal that was scored by Sree Vidya Thirumalasetty (21′). 

New Delhi, 10 January 2024: Hockey India on Wednesday announced the 26-member Indian Men’s Team for a Four Nation Tour in Cape Town, South Africa starting 22nd January 2024. The tournament will feature France, Netherlands, India and hosts South Africa. 

The Indian Team will be led by Harmanpreet Singh and FIH Player of the Year winner Hardik Singh will shoulder the responsibilities of Vice Captain. Youngsters Araijeet Singh Hundal and Boby Singh Dhami have been included in the squad following an impressive outing with the Junior Indian side. 

Goalkeepers PR Sreejesh, Krishan Pathak and Pawan have been included in the squad along with defenders Jarmanpreet Singh, Jugraj Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Sumit, Sanjay and Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem. 

Midfielders selected in the team are Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh. The forwardline features Mandeep Singh, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Akashdeep Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Boby Singh Dhami. 

Speaking about the South Africa Tour, Chief Coach Craig Fulton said, “We are quite excited to get on with the season in the Olympic year with the South Africa Tour where we will play quality teams. We have chosen a big squad in order to give players exposure and it will also give me an opportunity to see some of the players in competition mode ahead of the FIH Hockey Pro League. We have a short camp in SAI, Bengaluru before we leave for the Tour. We have also included two young players in the Senior side, and it will be interesting to watch them adapt to the level we play.” 

Indian Team for South Africa: 

GOALKEPERS                  

1. Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran            

2. Krishan Bahadur Pathak           

3. Pawan                        

DEFENDERS          

4. Jarmanpreet Singh         

5. Jugraj Singh 

6. Amit Rohidas                            

7. Harmanpreet Singh (C)            

8. Varun Kumar                  

9. Sumit          

10. Sanjay                  

11. Rabichandra Singh Moirangthem                

MIDFIELDERS                 

12. Vivek Sagar Prasad     

13. Nilakanta Sharma  

14. Rajkumar Pal                  

15. Shamsher Singh             

16. Vishnukant Singh           

17. Hardik Singh (VC)                     

18. Manpreet Singh             

FORWARDS           

19. Mandeep Singh     

20. Abhishek     

21. Sukhjeet Singh               

22. Gurjant Singh                 

23. Lalit Kumar Upadhyay              

24. Akashdeep Singh            

25. Araijeet Singh Hundal              

26. Boby Singh Dhami