Pretoria, Tshwane South Africa: The countdown is on for the sixth FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup, presented by SPAR, as 12 countries gear up to compete for the coveted women’s title on African soil.
With Germany opting out of the tournament, the door is open for other teams to step up to take the crown. The tournament will feature one debutant in New Zealand, who will be an unknown quantity for their opponents in Pool A.
Hosts SPAR South Africa will participate in their fourth World Cup, with their best finish being ninth in 2015. The home team will be looking to make a strong showing to secure a spot in the quarterfinals in front of an excited crowd.
Two-time winners and tournament favorites Netherlands will be the team to beat, not only in Pool A but in the tournament overall. They recently finished runners-up in the Euro Hockey Indoor Championship.
Austria will be looking to replicate their fourth-place finish of 2015. Rounding out Pool A are ever-present Australia and two-time qualifiers United States. The competition for a place in the quarterfinals in this section is sure to be fierce and exciting.
In Pool B, the favorites are European bronze medalists Ukraine, but they will face tough competition from Asian champions Kazakhstan, African champions Namibia and European powerhouse the Czech Republic.
Namibia is competing in their second consecutive tournament after successfully defending their African title in KwaZulu-Natal last year.
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, secured their spot by winning the Indoor Asian Championship in 2019, but were not as successful in the 2022 edition and will be looking to improve in Pretoria.
The Czech Republic will also be looking to showcase their form that led to a bronze medal in Europe in 2020 and their status as a formidable team in indoor hockey.
Belgium was originally set to host the tournament in Liege in 2022, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they were unable to do so. As hosts, they still qualified for the tournament and are determined to prove their worth on the court.
The final team in the tournament are Canada, the runners-up in the Pan American Games. They will be making their third World Cup appearance and will aim to make an impact to reach the last eight stage.
It promises to be an exhilarating tournament with high octane action! Make sure you get your tickets and are part of history as the tournament moves out of Europe for the first time. (https://itickets.co.za/events/470639)
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FREE TO USE PICTURES
Captions: 002.JPG – Who will lift the trophy at the end of the FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup?
009JPG – The Dutch are the overwhelming favourites for the tournament, will anyone be able to stop them.
Photo Credit: PSI Hockey
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This media release was sent out on behalf of FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup by BLD Communications.