FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2024: winners to be revealed at FIH Centennial Gala in Oman on 8 November!

    18 Oct, 2024 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to announce that the winners of the FIH Hockey Stars Awards will be revealed at the FIH Centennial Gala taking place on 8 November in Muscat, Oman, on the occasion of the 49th FIH Statutory Congress. All winners – FIH Players, Goalkeepers, Rising Stars, Coaches and Umpires of the Year – have been invited to join the ceremony in person. The event will be live streamed on the FIH YouTube channel. The voting process for the FIH Players, Goalkeepers and Rising Stars closed last week. Here are the nominees: FIH Player of the Year Award: Women: Gu Bingfeng (CHN), Yibbi Jansen (NED), Nike Lorenz (GER), Stéphanie Vanden Borre (BEL), Xan de Waard (NED) Men: Thierry Brinkman (NED), Joep de Mol (NED), Hannes Müller (GER), Harmanpreet Singh (IND), Zach Wallace (ENG) FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award: Women: Cristina Cosentino (ARG), Aisling D’Hooghe (BEL), Nathalie Kubalski (GER), Anne Veenendaal (NED), Ye Jiao (CHN) Men: Pirmin Blaak (NED), Luis Calzado (ESP), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG), PR Sreejesh (IND) FIH Rising Star of the Year Award: Women: Claire Colwill (AUS), Zoe Díaz (ARG), Tan Jinzhuang (CHN), Emily White (BEL), Linnea Weidemann (GER) Men: Bautista Capurro (ARG), Bruno Font (ESP), Sufyan Khan (PAK), Michel Struthoff (GER), Arno Van Dessel (BEL) The list of nominees was established by an Expert Panel* composed of players, coaches and officials selected by each of their Continental Federations. The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2024, including Test Matches, the FIH hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups, FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers and the Olympic Games Paris 2024 before establishing the final list of nominees. The votes of the Expert Panel count for 40% of the overall result. Those from National Associations – represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches – count for a further 20%. The fans and other players (20%) as well as the media (20%) make the remaining 40%.  The FIH Coaches and Umpires of the Year are decided by the Expert Panel and the FIH Umpiring Committee respectively. *Expert Panel: Europe: Janne Müller-Wieland (GER) and Simon Mason (ENG) Asia: Tahir Zaman (PAK) and Ms Deepika (IND) Pan America: Soledad Iparraguirre (ARG) and Craig Parnham (USA) Africa: Sarah Bennett (ZIM) and Ahmed Youssef (EGY) Oceania: Amber Church (NZL) and Adam Webster (AUS) Source: FIH.hockey

    FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025: Ticket sales begin today!

      Lausanne, Switzerland: The FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 promises to be one of the most exciting events in the indoor hockey calendar, bringing together the world’s top teams for a high-paced, action-packed tournament. Set to take place in the historic city of Poreč, Croatia, from 3-9 February, 2025, the event will see elite men’s and women’s teams from across the globe battle for supremacy in this unique and fast-paced format of the game.   The ticket sales for the event have begun today and can be purchased by clicking here (English) or here (Croatian). Venue: Zatika Arena The 2025 Indoor Hockey World Cup will be hosted at the Zatika Arena, one of Croatia’s premier indoor sports venues. With a seating capacity of 3700, this state-of-the-art facility has previously hosted major international sporting events, making it the ideal location for this global hockey spectacle. Fans can expect a vibrant atmosphere as the world’s best teams compete in an environment designed to enhance the viewer experience, both in person and online. Teams to Watch The FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup will feature 12 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams, each representing the best of indoor hockey from across their respective continents. Europe, known for its strong indoor hockey tradition, will once again provide formidable competitors, with Austria men returning to defend their title while German men’s and women’s teams, who missed out on the previous edition, will each look to add to their tally of three world cup trophies. Teams from Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Oceania will also showcase their talents, with many nations seeking to establish dominance or claim their first title in the indoor format. While Germany and Austria have traditionally been powerhouses in indoor hockey, many others like Iran, Czechia, Poland have emerged as strong contenders, who will once again be in the mix for the title and podium places. This diverse mix of teams ensures a thrilling tournament full of surprises, skill, and international flair. A Unique Format Indoor hockey is known for its intensity and the high technical qualities required, with smaller teams, quicker games, and high-scoring matches, making it a fan favourite. Played in a 6-a-side format, the tournament emphasises speed, agility, and tactical precision. Games are shorter than traditional outdoor hockey with perimeter boards on the sides keeping the ball in play for longer, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of the competition. The 12 teams (in men’s and women’s competition) have been placed into three pools of four teams each. Men’s  Pool A: Austria, South Africa, Poland, Croatia  Pool B: Iran, Argentina, Germany, Malaysia Pool C: Belgium, Australia, Namibia, Trinidad & Tobago   Women’s  Pool A: Czechia, Belgium, USA, Croatia Pool B: Austria, South Africa, Poland, Thailand Pool C: Australia, Germany, Namibia, New Zealand   The top-8 teams from across the three pools will qualify for the quarterfinals, while the remaining teams will play in the 9-12 position playoffs.  Schedule The schedule for the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 can be found here.  Ticketing Information With indoor hockey growing in popularity, tickets for the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 are expected to be in high demand. Fans eager to witness the fast-paced action live, in the most vibrant of settings, can purchase tickets online starting today, 17 October, by clicking here (English) or here (Croatian).  Croatia: A First-Time Host This is the first time that Croatia will host a global FIH event, and the country is gearing up to welcome players and fans from all over the world. With a growing stature in international hockey, Croatia’s hockey community is excited to showcase its facilities and passion for the sport on the global stage. The event is not only a significant opportunity for Croatian hockey but also for fans worldwide to experience the sport in a new and vibrant setting. The FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025 is set to deliver unforgettable moments of sporting excellence, with the world’s best indoor hockey players ready to compete at the highest level. As we countdown to February 2025, the anticipation continues to build for what promises to be a spectacular event that will bring together the global hockey community in celebration of the indoor format.  FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “With the launch of the ticketing process, the 2025 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč, Croatia, is becoming even more “real”, in particular for the fans who can now make sure that they won’t miss the party! This is all the more exciting that Croatia will host an FIH World Cup for the very first time! It’s a commitment from FIH and from myself to organise our events in new territories, and therefore garner new fans. We look forward to a magnificent event!” Croatian Hockey Federation President Damir Hrupec added: “We are very proud that the Croatian Hockey Federation is organising the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025 in Poreč, Croatia. We welcome you all to join this tournament! The Croatian Hockey Federation and all hockey players in Croatia can’t wait to show how “small” hockey countries are capable of organising such a big event. I am convinced that everyone who comes will enjoy top-class indoor hockey, Poreč and Croatia.” Mark your calendars for this exciting showcase of skill, speed, and strategy! #IHWC2025 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X – and website.

      FIH wins IOC Climate Action Award 2024!

        Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to announce that it has won the 2024 IOC Climate Action Award in the International Federation category, as revealed at a ceremony held in New York, USA, on the occasion of UN Climate Week. FIH has been awarded this highly prestigious distinction for its outstanding work in substantially reducing water consumption for the practice of hockey at elite level. Indeed, FIH is working with the artificial turf industry to develop a new technology – Dry Turf – that reduces the amount of water needed for elite hockey pitches. This new technology has already led to a 40 per cent reduction of water used between London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, and an anticipated further 20 per cent reduction for Paris 2024. The ultimate aim is to replace the approximately 2,000 water-based artificial hockey pitches globally with dry turfs, saving approximately 7.6 billion litres of water per year. FIH is also developing other innovative solutions including “self wetting balls” that release water at the point of contact between the ball, the surface and the stick, to enable the sport to be played at the highest level on dry turf. The project is part of the FIH’s wide-ranging sustainability strategy and a comprehensive carbon reduction and mitigation plan, which includes the first-ever carbon zero artificial turf, which was inaugurated at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and the global offsetting “Give Back to Forest” tree planting initiative. FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “We are extremely honoured and grateful to receive this very high distinction from the International Olympic Committee. It is also a strong encouragement for us since it expresses the gratitude of the highest body in world sport and the Olympic movement for the efforts that we have undertaken to reduce the impact on the environment generated by the practice of our sport. On behalf of FIH, and in my personal name, I would like to express our utmost gratitude to the IOC. I would also like to extend our sincerest thanks to all the providers and suppliers that are part of our FIH Quality Programme, and in particular our Global Supplier Polytan, for their commitment. Without them, it would not be possible to achieve the sustainability goals that we have set ourselves. I urge the entire global hockey community to continue its efforts relentlessly, and also engage in our ‘Give back to Forest’ initiative that we will pursue with the launch of Phase 2. Sport has a major role to play in building a better future for society and this includes protecting the environment. We are determined to be an important stakeholder in this area.” Supported by Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Deloitte, the IOC Climate Action Awards encourage, recognise and reward innovative projects from National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and athletes aimed at reducing the environmental impact of sport, while inspiring the wider Olympic Movement to take action. In the athlete category, Canadian hockey player Oliver Scholfield had been selected for co-founding “Racing to Zero”, a sport-focused sustainability consultancy that helps organisations to understand and mitigate their environmental impact. Note: A video message from FIH President Tayyab Ikram commenting on the Award is available here.   #HockeyForSociety #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

        Central-South Africa Qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (ACN) – Pool Standings and more

          Men & Women is taking place from August 17th to 21st at the SJET turf in Harare, Zimbabwe . Eight (8) teams participating (4 Men – 4 Women) from Zimbabwe Zambia Namibia Eswatini . The tournament is being streamed LIVE on the African Hockey Federation YouTube channel powered by Rising Stars Media. Subscribe Here: https://tinyurl.com/ya2cdy2y International Hockey Federation (FIH) Hockey Association of Zimbabwe Namibia Hockey Zambia Hockey Association Eswatini Hockey Association Rising Stars Media #AfricaHockeyNews #RoadToACN2025 #ZimbabweHockey #HockeyQualifier #LiveStream #AfricanHockey #SupportLocalAfrica HOCKEY TEAMS IN ZIMBABWE FOR REGIONAL GAMES Hockey national teams yesterday left for Harare, Zimbabwe ahead of the Central-South Africa Qualifier for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (ACN). The teams comprising the males and females whose training base is the OYDC Zambia are expected to take part in the competition in Harare from 17 to 21 August 2024.Zambia Hockey Association (ZHA) General Secretary Elvis Bwalya confirmed the team’s departure for the games and paid gratitude to the National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) and the National Sports Council of Zambia (NSCZ) for their immense contribution to see that the teams leave for Zimbabwe.Bwalya says “It is through these competitions that our athletes are exposed to international games”.  Countries participating in the competition include: Eswatini, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe the host nation. Zambia in their opening match faces Zimbabwe for both teams today at 2 pm and 4 pm CAT respectively.