FIH Men's World Cup: India, England, Spain, Wales in Pool D

FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup India 2023

BHUBANESWAR: Host India have been placed in Pool D along with old nemesis England and Spain for the FIH Senior Men's Hockey World Cup to be held in Odisha in January 2023.

The FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup will be in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13-29, 2023. Wales is the fourth team in Pool D.

Pool A comprises Australia, Argentina, France and South Africa; Pool B has reigning World and Olympic champions Belgium, European powerhouse Germany, South Korea, and Asian Games winner Japan, while Pool C will see World No 3 The Netherlands battle it out with New Zealand, Malaysia and Chile.

Going by their rankings and recent form, Australia and Argentina from Pool a, Belgium and Germany (Pool B), Netherlands and New Zealand from Pool C, and India and England from Pool D should qualify for the quarterfinals.

This is the second successive World Cup being hosted by Odisha, which held the event in 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Overall, this is the fourth World Cup to be held in India after the 1982 edition in Mumbai and the 2010 one in New Delhi.

The draw was conducted by FIH CEO Theirry Weil at Bhubaneswar on Thursday in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, the state's Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera and Hockey India Committee of Administrators (CoA) members Zafar Iqbal and SY Quraishi, among other dignitaries.

The detailed match schedule will be released in the next few days.

FIH World Cup 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