Spain will play on January 13 in the men’s hockey World Cup opener at the recently constructed Birsa Munda International Stadium in Rourkela.
India’s World Cup hockey campaign gets underway on January 13 against Spain
India, who won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is grouped in pool D with England, Spain, and Wales (16), who are making their World Cup debuts. India is currently ranked No. 5 in the FIH rankings.
Before heading to the nation’s capital, Bhubaneswar, where they will play Wales in their final group match on January 19, India will play their second game in Rourkela on January 15 against England.
Australia, the top-ranked team in the world and bronze medalist at the most recent World Cup in 2018, leads Pool A. They were drawn among the 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, France, and South Africa, who also won the African championship.
The top-seeded team, Belgium, was placed in Pool B together with the winners from 2006, Germany, Korea, and Japan. Germany is placed fourth, and Belgium is second.
The Netherlands, who finished third in the world and were the winners of the most recent World Cup, will be in Pool C along with Malaysia, who are competing in their ninth World Cup, Chile, who are making their debut, and New Zealand, who represents Oceania.
The 2016 Olympic champions Argentina will play South Africa, while global No. 1 Australia will play France at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on the same day, according to the FIH’s Tuesday publication of the schedule.
The tournament will begin in Rourkella with England playing Wales in the opening match while India’s game doesn’t begin until 7 p.m. IST. In Bhubneswar, the world’s No. 2 team and defending champion, Belgium, will face South Korea. Belgium won the championship in Odisha in 2018.
