Hockey World Cup: Hosts India named in a tough draw

The draw in question includes three of the world's top eight teams, with India in the fifth spot, one above England. Two-time silver medallists Spain is in the eighth position, and Wales, ranked 16th, will make their first World Cup appearance. 

India and England pulled off a nail-biting 4-4 draw at the Commonwealth Games before Olympic bronze medallists India beat Wales 4-1 in the group stages in Birmingham this year.

India had played against Spain in the Pro League, where the former clinched one and lost the other match in February 2022. By the end of the group stage, the top-ranked team will compete in the quarter-finals. 

The second and third-placed teams will face their counterparts thriving in other pools in the crossovers. The team winning the crossovers will advance to the last eight. 

2023 FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup: the remaining pools

The pools were revealed in the draw ceremony held in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. Pool A includes world number one Australia, who had last won bronze at the World Cup in 2018. 

Australia has been placed alongside 2016 Olympic champions Argentina, world number 11 France, competing in their fourth World Cup and African champions South Africa. 

Pool B has reserved a spot for reigning world and Olympic champions Belgium along with world number four Germany. Two Asian teams will join them - reigning Asian Games gold medallists Japan and South Korea.

Pool C will comprise the runners-up of the 2018 World Cup, the Netherlands, competing against New Zealand, Malaysia and debutants Chile.

Where will the 2023 FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup be held?

The tournament will unfold in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, the venue of the 2018 World Cup, and at the new Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

FIH Acting President Seif Ahmed called the second location a "jewel" and is excited to see the top-ranked teams of the sport compete at the newly constructed stadium in Rourkela. 

India has made three appearances on the podium at the World Cup. They won bronze in the 1971 season in Barcelona before clinching silver two years later at Amstelveen. 

India once won the tournament in 1975 when the Ajit Pal Singh-led side dispatched Pakistan 2-1 in the summit clash in Kuala Lumpur.

In 2018, India crashed out of the quadrennial tournament in the quarter-finals after their 1-2 defeat to runners-up Netherlands.