Bhubaneswar, India – With just 1 day to go for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, the players and coaches of all teams have spoken to express their expectations. David Ames, Captain (England) “India is always an exciting place to come and play hockey. We are looking forward to playing against big teams and registering some famous victories in the tournament. I think we are a contender for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela trophy. There is a lot of belief in our camp as everyone is confident about their abilities.” Thierry Brinkman, Captain (Netherlands)  “The last few months in the build-up to the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela have been pretty good for us. The team is completely ready for the tournament. It is amazing to be here again and we are excited to play in front of the hockey fans in the tournament.” Jorge Dabanch, Head Coach (Chile) “It will be interesting to play in Rourkela as they have built a new stadium here and the crowd is amazing as well. There are many top teams in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela and we will look to register a win against these top sides in the tournament.” Akira Takahashi, Head Coach (Japan) “We have played in India before and are excited to be here for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Our team has some good players who can play well against the top sides in the tournament and it will be a pleasure to play in front of such a big crowd. The tournament is filled with top teams and we are ready to face them and produce exciting results.” Frederic Soyez, Head Coach (France) “We are not looking for the title at the moment. Our team is focused on the first match of the tournament right now and then we will see where we end up. We prepared for this tournament with an aim to do better than last year and I think we have the quality to perform well against the top teams.” Alvaro Iglesias, Captain (Spain)  “We know the stadium in Rourkela is bigger. We know there will be a lot more crowd there. It will be hard to listen to our teammates and the instructions from the referee as well. But it will be an incredibly exciting atmosphere and we are really looking forward to playing here,” Lee Namyong, Captain (Korea)  “Our players are excited to be here and we have big ambitions in the tournament. We want to do well and have confidence that we will be able to win the big matches in FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. Our team has a lot of experience and it will be crucial for us.” Rupert Shipperley, Captain (Wales)  “We are here to win, it’s as simple as that. We are not here to just make up the numbers, we are here to cause an upset. We are looking forward to playing India in front of their fans, it is going to be a special occasion. We have faced all the teams in our pool before and we know what to expect, we are just raring to go now.” Greg Nicol, Head Coach (New Zealand) “We came to Bhubaneswar not so long ago to play in the FIH Pro League and are excited to come to Odisha again for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. The crowd here is fantastic and our team really enjoys playing in this atmosphere, especially in the World Cup. It’s a major tournament for our sport and hopefully, we can play well and get some wins.” Marhan Jalil, Captain (Malaysia) “We are fully prepared for the World Cup and will look to do our best on the pitch. Our group is tough as we have teams like the Netherlands and New Zealand in it and it will be an uphill task to beat them. However, we have full belief in ourselves and the matches will be exciting for the players.” Andre Henning, Head Coach (Germany)  “We had a strong year as we won 13 FIH Pro League matches and were between 5th and 6th in the World Rankings. So, we are looking forward to playing in the tournament and if we reach the semis that would be a big success. However, our ultimate aim is to win the World Cup trophy.” Eddie Ockenden, Captain (Australia)   “Our players are really excited to be here and we have big ambitions in the tournament. We want to do well and have confidence that we will be able to win the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela title. Our team has a lot of experience and it will be really crucial for us.” Cheslyn Gie, Head Coach (South Africa) “We think the games against Australia and Argentina will definitely be the toughest for us in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela. It is an exciting prospect for the players to have two venues, and if we get to play India it will be an experience as the whole stadium becomes very vibrant due to the fans.” Matias Rey, Captain (Argentina) “We take inspiration from Lionel Messi and our football team who won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They did a great job and we will try to repeat the same thing at the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, it will be difficult but we are motivated and want to win the tournament and make the country proud.” Felix Denayer, Captain (Belgium) “I think the tournament will be a challenge, but we also have the experience so we feel confident and we are very hungry to retain the trophy. We are an ambitious group. And I think we need these kinds of challenges to perform at our best level,” Harmanpreet Singh, Captain (India) “There is anticipation and excitement in equal measure. As

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11 January 2023 The festivities of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela will get underway today at 6pm (IST) as some of the biggest performers of India will headline the Trophy Celebrations at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. The celebrations will see global and local celebrities light up the stadium with their musical and dance performances. Bollywood superstars Ranveer Singh and Disha Patani will perform in front of a packed stadium that will seat over 40,000 spectators. Not just those in the stadium will get to witness the spectacle, but fans all around the city will also be able to watch on Giant LED screens in the 16 Hockey Fan Parks for live streaming of the celebrations. The fans will also get to sway to the musical stylings of internationally acclaimed K-Pop band: Black Swan, which includes local Odisha singer Shreya Lenka! Popular Indian musician/composer Pritam, who composed the official anthem of the World Cup “Hockey Hai Dil Mera”, will also take stage along with the 11 singers who sang the anthem. The rich night of music will be further enhanced by the rock and roll music of iconic bollywood singers Benny Dayal and Neeti Mohan. Talented performers from the state of Odisha will also add in a local flavour, led by Odissi dancing legend: Guru Aruna Mohanty. The Trophy Celebrations will showcase India’s rich culture and history, while also highlighting its recent advancements. It will also signal the start of the 15th edition of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, which will get underway on 13 January 2023, with the first two matches of the day being played in Bhubaneswar followed by two more matches in the evening, in the brand-new Birsa Munda International Hockey stadium in Rourkela. The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela Trophy Celebrations start at 18:00 local time (13:30 CET) and can be watched by hockey fans all around the world on Watch.Hockey. #HWC2023 #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.

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