India will start their hockey campaign at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with the men’s team taking on New Zealand in a morning match on July 24, 2021 while the women’s team will be in action against reigning World Champions Netherlands a few hours later.
“The hockey event was originally scheduled to run from July 25 until August 7, 2020, with matches being played at the purpose-built Oi Hockey Stadium in Japan’s capital city. Although nothing has changed in terms of the location and overall running order of the matches, the Olympic hockey competitions will now start on July 24 and conclude on August 6, 2021,” the FIH announced at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday.
The fourth-ranked Indian men, who are in Pool A along with Australia, reigning champions Argentina, Spain and hosts Japan besides the Black Sticks in the 12-team competition which will run from July 24 till August 6, 2021. The Pool B comprises World Champions Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Canada and South Africa.
The Indian women’s team, ranked ninth in the world, is in Pool A with World No 1 the Netherlands, Germany, Rio Olympics champions Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa. Pool B includes Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China and hosts and Asian Games Champions Japan.
{{/usCountry}}The Indian women’s team, ranked ninth in the world, is in Pool A with World No 1 the Netherlands, Germany, Rio Olympics champions Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa. Pool B includes Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China and hosts and Asian Games Champions Japan.
{{/usCountry}}In other preliminary league matches, the Indian men will take on Australia on July 25; play Spain on July 27; run into Olympic champions Argentina on July 29 and round off their league engagements against hosts Japan on July 30 evening.
The women will meet Germany on July 26; Great Britain on July 28; Ireland on July 30 and South Africa on July 31 morning.
The quarter-finals will be held from August 1 (men) and 2 (women) followed by the men’s semi-finals on August 3 followed by the women’s last-four matches on the next day. The men’s final will be played on August 5, 2021 while the hockey programme will be concluded with the women’s final on August 6 evening.
The Indian men’s and women’s team qualified from the Olympic qualification matches against Russia and USA respectively in November 2019.