06 January, 2023 The 16 best men’s teams from around the world are converging in Odisha, India as we countdown to the final few days till the start of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023! Each team comes with the aim of becoming world champions, but only one team can earn the highest honour at the end of the World Cup. The first obstacle for all 16 teams in the event come in the form of their pool opponents. Winning the pool gives the teams a huge advantage, as it leads to straight qualification into the quarterfinals, while second and third placed teams play an additional cross-over round. In today’s preview, meet the teams in Pool A, and find out the unique playing styles they will bring to the World Cup. Argentina The Olympic champions from Rio 2016 are Pan American hockey’s most potent force, having been crowned continental champions on 14 separate occasions. With a swashbuckling style and incredible technical ability, Los Leones can match any team on the planet. The team is coached by former Argentina goalkeeper Mariano Ronconi, who will do all he can to lead his talented group to a first men’s World Cup title. Agustin Mazzilli, Lucas Vila and team captain Matias Rey – named Player of the Tournament as his team swept to victory in the 2022 Men’s Pan American Cup in Santiago, Chile to seal their ticket to this event – remain outstanding performers despite being well into their 30s. The team recorded a notable 2-1 victory over reigning Olympic and World champions Belgium in November, providing a timely reminder that they can match the best in the business. Can Argentina emulate their men’s football team by winning a World Cup on Asian soil? Australia The Kookaburras are the most consistently outstanding men’s hockey team of the last 30 years, having remained in the top four of the FIH World Rankings for the duration of that period. They have won every prize available, including Olympic, World Cup, FIH Hockey Pro League and Oceania Cup titles. In 2022, the side coached by former striker Colin Batch claimed a sensational seventh Commonwealth Games title, obliterating a hugely talented India team 7-0 in the event final in Birmingham. Nathan Ephraums and Jacob Anderson, the latter a travelling reserve for this event, both scored twice with Blake Govers, Tom Wickham and Flynn Ogilvie also netting in typically devastating displays from the brilliant Aussies. A shoot-out loss to Belgium in the gold medal match at the delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was painful, but may serve as motivation as the brilliant Aussies go in search of a record-equalling fourth world title. France In 2018, France arrived in Bhubaneswar for their first FIH Men’s World Cup for 28 years, with their last appearance coming at 1990 competition in Lahore, Pakistan, where they finished seventh. Having been drawn in the same pool as Rio 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, Spain, and New Zealand, many expected them to be on the first plane out of India. However, after suffering a narrow defeat against the Black Sticks, Les Bleus achieved a set of results which would see them go all the way to the World Cup quarter finals. A draw with higher-ranked Spain was followed by a stunning 5-3 victory over Argentina, sealing their place in the knock-out stages of the competition, where they beat China to set up a last eight meeting with Australia. Although the mighty Kookaburras brought France’s magnificent run to an end, they left the competition with their heads held high, having earned respect from everyone who saw them in action. Since then, France – who are building towards the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where they will compete as hosts – have been going from strength to strength. They competed in the 2021-22 edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League, registering wins against India, South Africa, and Argentina before earning their ticket to this event with a second-place finish at the European Qualification event in Cardiff, won by hosts Wales. A fifth-place finish at the recent FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup South Africa 2022 event was perhaps below expectations, but with the likes of penalty corner ace Victor Charlet and seasoned talent Gaspard Baumgarten, France will be a dangerous outfit here in Odisha. South Africa Following their superb title victory in the recent FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, earning them a ticket to the next edition of the elite FIH Hockey Pro League, South Africa have every reason to believe that they can achieve big things here in Odisha. The tournament hosts finished top of the pile on home soil in Potchefstroom, recording victories over Pakistan, France, and Korea before claiming a thrilling 4-3 win against Ireland – who they had lost to earlier in the competition – in the competition final. Inspirational 23-year-old captain Dayaan Cassiem scored twice in the title match, with younger sibling Mustaphaa netting a penalty stroke won by his big brother. The outrageously gifted Cassiem brothers may be the poster boys of this hugely exciting new generation, but the team is far from reliant on them. Striker Tevin Kok is proving himself to be a reliable source of goals, while 33-year-old defender Jethro Eustice brings a steady, experienced head to a group brimming with youth and talent. The 15th edition of FIH’s flagship event for men will be played from 13 to 29 January in Odisha, India. All information about the tournament is available on www.worldcup.hockey. #HWC2023 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites

January 3, 2023 In exactly 10 days the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela will burst into action and thrill hockey fans all over the world, as the joint venues of Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar and the brand-new Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela play host to the 15th edition of the premier FIH men’s tournament in the world! The 16 best men’s hockey teams in the world have meticulously prepared for the tournament and strategized for the opponents who stand in their path to ultimate glory. The organizing team in India has pulled out all the stops to create the best experience for the players and the fans. The officials are primed and ready to ensure a smooth-running and fairly contested tournament. The fans are ready to cheer for the biggest hockey stars, and witness the highest quality of hockey action that will set their pulses racing! For the first time ever the FIH Men’s World Cup will be hosted by a nation twice in a row as the 2018 edition was hosted in the state of Odisha in India as well. The state of Odisha is no stranger to major hockey events having hosted various events in recent years including the FIH Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup in 2021 and the FIH Hockey Pro League over the past 4 years, following the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup in 2018. Both Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, will host matches on the opening day of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The first match of the day will be played in the Kalinga stadium in Bhubaneswar, where 2016 Olympic Gold medalists Argentina will take on reigning African Champions, and victors of the recent inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup: South Africa. This will be followed by more Pool A action between World No. 1 Australia and the rapidly improving French team. The action will then shift to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, where teams of Pool D will get their campaigns underway, as England take on Wales in the first game to be played at the brand-new stadium. The final game of the opening day will pit hosts India against Spain, two teams familiar with each other through the FIH Hockey Pro League, where they have produced highly entertaining matches with goals galore! Indian hockey fans have shown themselves to be vastly passionate about hockey, having consistently turned out in huge numbers and creating a great atmosphere at the FIH Hockey Pro League matches over the past few years, as well as the 2018 World Cup. This can be already witnessed again with all matches in Rourkela sold out! The month of January will once again see the hockey world descend into Odisha and add an international flavour into the mix, as fans from all around the world arrive to cheer their favourite teams and players at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Schedule The full match schedule for the World Cup can be found here. Tickets The tickets for the matches to be held in both Bhubaneswar and Rourkela can be booked here. Pools Pool A: Australia, Argentina, France, South Africa Pool B: Belgium, Germany, Korea, Japan Pool C: Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile Pool D: India, England, Spain, Wales Teams The squads of  the 16 participating teams can be found here. Officials  The list of Officials is available here. Where to watch? The matches will be shown live on TV or on Watch.Hockey. See full plan here. #HWC2023 #HockeyInvites #HockeyEquals

January 3, 2023 The 15th edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup is about to get underway in just 9 days in Odisha, India. While the World Cup was a relatively late addition to the international hockey calendar, it has now completed over 50 years in existence, with the first edition having been played in 1971. In the 14 editions of the World Cup so far, there have been plenty of mind-boggling records created, and in following editions, surpassed. A look at the statistics of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup is almost as good as a look at the history of men’s hockey over the past 5 decades, so here is a brief look at the same. The history of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup can not be written without mentioning Pakistan, the champions of the inaugural edition of the event. Not only did Pakistan win the first ever World Cup, but they are also the team that has won the most World Cups in the men’s event, with 4 gold medals. Through the first 8 editions of the men’s World Cup, Pakistan amassed 4 gold medals and 2 silver medals, making them the most successful team in the World Cup. Pakistan won their 4th gold medal at the World Cup in Sydney in 1994, but no other team has been able to equal their gold medal tally so far. Australia and Netherlands come in next with 3 gold medals each. Australia have won a total of 10 medals at the World Cups, which is the most amongst all nations. Australia’s tally includes 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 5 bronze medals. Netherlands have won 9 medals at the Men’s World Cups with 3 golds, 4 silver medals and 2 bronze medals. Both Netherlands and Australia were amongst the medals at the 2018 World Cup, with Netherlands finishing runners-up behind Belgium, while Australia won the bronze medal. Australia last won the gold at the 2014 World Cup, while Netherlands’ wait for a men’s World Cup gold has been really long, having last won the World Cup at the 1998 edition. Netherlands has gotten close to the elusive 4th gold medal at both 2014 and 2018 World Cups, ending with the silver medal at both editions. Germany have won 2 gold medals, with the last one coming in 2006. India and Belgium are the other two teams to have won gold medals at the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, with India’s victory coming in 1975, while Belgium are the reigning world champions, having won the gold in the 2018 edition. Australia boast of the highest win percentage at the men’s World Cups, winning 69 of the 92 matches they have played in, an astounding 75%! Netherlands have played the most number of matches at the World Cup, completing 100 matches in the finals of the 2018 World Cup, ahead of India, who have played 95 matches. Australia also have produced the most attacking hockey at the World Cups, scoring 307 goals in the 92 matches, at a rate of 3.3 goals per game! Netherlands and Pakistan have the next best scoring averages, with Netherlands averaging 2.67 goals scored per game, and Pakistan averaging 2.64 goals per game. Australia also have a phenomenal defensive record at the World Cups, letting in just 107 goals in their 92 games, at an average of 1.16 per game. India, Netherlands and Spain are the only teams to have appeared in all 14 editions so far, and all three teams will also appear at the upcoming World Cup, making it 15 appearances in a row. Argentina, Australia, England and Pakistan have appeared in 13 editions so far, with only Pakistan missing out on the 2023 edition. A total of 26 nations have competed at the 14 editions of the men’s World Cup so far. Chile and Wales will take the number up to 28 as they make their debut appearances at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela: Schedule The full match schedule for the World Cup can be found here. Tickets Tickets can be booked here. Pools Pool A: Australia, Argentina, France, South Africa Pool B: Belgium, Germany, Korea, Japan Pool C: Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile Pool D: India, England, Spain, Wales Teams The squads of  the 16 participating teams can be found here. Officials  The list of Officials is available here. Where to watch? The matches will be shown live on TV or on Watch.Hockey. See full plan here. #HWC2023 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites